12/02/2009

Killer's Paradise

Tonight I watched a documentary “Killer’s Paradise” and my goodness I’ve never seen something strong so severe that I really was so angry and so sad for all the victims. The documentary was on the murders of women in Guatemala and how violent and brutal these killings are. It’s mind boggling just how cruel we humans can be to each other, something I will never understand.

Olenka Frenkiel and Giselle Portenier did a fantastic job on documenting these brutal killings. They follow several families that have lost a loved one, interview rapists and speak with the Guatemalan president. It’s horrifying to see that there is no motive to investigate these murders and the reasons to not seek out evidence is absurd, saying, she’s a nobody because she had sandals and a navel piercing, they are quick to place blame on the victim. The victims’ families that pursue the police to further the investigation are then harassed themselves.

The interview with the rapists got me really angry and sad for the nation. One had raped a 17 year old the other 12 and the third had raped a 7 year-old girl, and they all claimed they were innocent as they blamed women!!! They said that the girls are going out without supervision and dressing in ways that provoke harassment, these were girls for goodness sake!!!!!!!!!!!

It is the idea that women are the enemy that was taught during the 36 years of civil war that tore the country apart. They thought that the women are the ones that bore rebels so they are the enemy – why oh why is it always the women???

The numbers are rising. There was one story of a 15 year old that was raped and luckily escaped murder but her rapist had the audacity to give her family an ultimatum that she marries this monster or the house will be burned with all the other family members. Apparently the rapist can right his wrongs if he marries the victim ~ WTF???? The family chose not to marry their daughter the father said, “my daughter is not a dog”.

See the documentary if you can, we need to raise the awareness!

Click here for the trailer "Killer's Paradise"

Check out
National Film Board of Canada
Green Change
BBC
Xeni notes from the Road (blog)

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