Melissa Humes and Dr. Darren G. Hawkins, Political Science
The results of my research were surprising and have inspired further research and investigation in the area of how international norms of human rights are spread throughout regions. The findings to date have taken my research in a new direction as I search for understanding of how the international norms of domestic violence were transferred into political action throughout Latin America.
I initially focused my research project on Venezuela. As I gathered data, I began to understand that in order for my research to be complete I would need to investigate other Latin American countries to be able to adequately compare the progress of Venezuela in particular on the issue of domestic violence. I used personal interviews with staff of international organizations such as the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) in order that I might better understand the pilot programs and other campaigns that such organizations were carrying out throughout Latin America. Through the help of individuals such as Loretto Biehl (IDB), I was able to receive videos, internally published studies and other such information to aid in my project. Publications from the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women as well as reports from the Pan American Health Organization provided necessary information. Secondary sources allowed me to test and try different theoretical explanations for my findings.
Although I am continuing with the research project, the preliminary findings have indicated to my surprise that Peru, one of the least democratic countries in Latin America has been one of the leaders in the fight against domestic violence. Venezuela, one of the more progressively democratic countries, has been one of the last to institute changes. The patterns that I have been able to see thus far are explained by variations on current hypotheses in international relations.
One of the more interesting findings is that the more prosperous countries of Argentina, Chile and Uruguay have made significant and similar changes in their legal system around the same year and, with the exception of Peru, have been leaders in this area of the fight against domestic violence. Conversely, Central American countries such as Bolivia as well as Peru have made more substantial progress in disseminating the knowledge among the populace as a whole. These countries have instituted training programs of police and health service personnel as well as national media campaigns and other social services.
These groupings indicate that more economically developed countries such as Argentina, Chile and Uruguay are more susceptible to the influence of women’s groups that can influence lawmakers and executive branches with their electoral power. Where economic development is retarded, governments are more susceptible to the influences of international organizations such as PAHO and the IDB. Central American countries particularly fit with this theory. Women’s groups have limited effect on the progressive changing of the laws but international organizations provide desperately needed money in order to carry out social reforms. In conjunction, these hypotheses explain the differing areas of concern within the fight against domestic violence as well as the regional and substantive differences in what reforms are being done and when.
While I am still conducting research to more conclusively back my initial findings, I feel confident in reporting that previously published theories are not extensive enough to explain the varied progress happening on the issue of domestic violence throughout the Latin American region. I aim to present this research at the American Political Science Association Conference in Atlanta, GA on September 2, 1999. I believe that my research has opened possibilities for new theoretical approaches to the question of how international norms on human rights are spread. I look forward to continuing my research on such an important issue.