Author(s): Chantél Villegas
Mentor(s): Matthew Newsom
Institution SUU
In a Kekchi Maya community in the Toledo District of Belize, women’s lives are profoundly shaped by violence. The prevalence of such gender-based violence creates complex intergenerational relationships between mothers and their daughters. In this presentation, I draw on ethnographic research to examine the violent experiences of women in the community. Historically, women in this community were expected to adopt domestic roles within the village, but this is beginning to change as mothers and their daughters challenge these constraints. On the one hand, the personal experiences that mothers have with violence influence their dual goals of shielding their daughters from harm while empowering them to pursue lives beyond the village. On the other hand, daughters must navigate the pressures of living up to their mother’s expectations while also searching for their own answers to youthful questions of love and romantic relationships. Despite mothers’ hopes and efforts, daughters still face violence in the form of sexual harassment, highlighting that a mother’s wishes alone cannot shield them from the actions of men. Ultimately, I will demonstrate that, while mothers and daughters in this village are constrained by patterns of violence, they also find empowerment by actively challenging and reshaping available gender models.