Voces de Jóvenes Latinas: Investigación sobre el Acoso Sexual en las Universidades de Londres
El Consejo Consultivo de Mujeres Jóvenes (Young Women’s Advisory Board - YWAB) de LAWRS presenta su más reciente trabajo: “Voces de jóvenes latinas: Investigación sobre el acoso sexual en universidades de Londres”.
Quiénes somos
El YWAB es un grupo de jóvenes latinoamericanas de 18 a 25 años dedicadas a abordar todas las formas de violencia contra las mujeres y niñas (VAWG, por sus siglas en inglés). Abordamos este trabajo desde nuestras experiencias vividas e identidades interseccionadas como migrantes, latinoamericanas y mujeres jóvenes. Nos reunimos en un espacio seguro y colaborativo, para desarrollar habilidades de liderazgo y activismo, participar en discusiones políticas y aumentar nuestra capacidad para influir en espacios de toma de decisiones en beneficio de las jóvenes de nuestra comunidad.
Nuestro Programa y el diseño de un Informe de Investigación
Nuestro programa se llevó a cabo desde abril de 2024 hasta marzo de 2025, con sesiones de capacitación centradas en investigación entre pares, liderazgo y participación política, violencia contra las mujeres y niñas (VAWG), acoso sexual y artivismo. Estas sesiones han sido guiadas por LAWRS, Partnership for Young London y la artista Ximena Ruiz del Río.
A través de la discusión de experiencias compartidas, descubrimos una brecha en la investigación sobre cómo las identidades interseccionales de las mujeres latinoamericanas afectan sus experiencias con el acoso sexual en la educación superior. El impacto de este acoso nos afecta profundamente mientras navegamos por los espacios universitarios. Para amplificar nuestros esfuerzos de activismo, decidimos crear un informe de investigación que dé voz a estas experiencias.
Realizamos un grupo focal para diseñar nuestra pregunta de investigación. Todas las participantes dentro de nuestro grupo estaban comenzando, en proceso de o ya habían terminado su carrera universitaria. Descubrimos que la mayoría de nosotras habíamos enfrentado alguna forma de acoso sexual relacionado con nuestras identidades como mujeres latinoamericanas. Estos abusos, aunque a menudo invisibles, pasados por alto o normalizados, tuvieron un impacto profundo en nuestras vidas. Nuestra investigación exploró cómo los estereotipos, acentos, migración, racismo, xenofobia y sexismo se entrecruzan y dan forma a estas experiencias.
Llevamos a cabo 13 entrevistas semi-estructuradas y diseñamos y distribuimos un cuestionario, recibiendo 32 respuestas a la encuesta. Utilizando el análisis temático, escribimos de manera colaborativa este informe de investigación, que incluye hallazgos clave y recomendaciones políticas.
Hallazgos Clave
Nuestra investigación reveló cinco hallazgos clave:
- El acoso sexual tiene un impacto negativo significativo en las mujeres latinoamericanas en diversas áreas de su vida.
- Los procedimientos universitarios para denunciar el acoso sexual no funcionan, lo que los convierte en un proceso inaccesible y que consume mucho tiempo, desalentando las denuncias.
- La múltiple estigmatización de ser migrante, latinoamericana y mujer, disuade a las mujeres jóvenes de denunciar, ya que las posiciona como más vulnerables.
- Los estereotipos sobre las mujeres latinoamericanas las hacen más vulnerables al acoso sexual, ya que se las percibe como más “disponibles sexualmente”.
- La frecuencia del acoso sexual, junto con la estigmatización de las latinoamericanas en el Reino Unido, hace que estos comportamientos y actos se perciban como la "norma".
Estos hallazgos brindan información valiosa sobre las realidades que enfrentan las jóvenes latinoamericanas y arrojan luz sobre los problemas críticos que afectan sus vidas.
Para una comprensión más detallada de nuestra investigación, incluyendo una descripción completa de los hallazgos clave y las recomendaciones políticas, por favor, lee nuestro informe completo aquí.
Gracias por apoyar las voces de las jóvenes latinas.
Nuestro Artivismo: Una Respuesta Creativa para Combatir la VAWG
Como parte de nuestro proceso de investigación, también creamos una campaña en redes sociales para sensibilizar sobre el acoso sexual y abogar por los derechos de las mujeres jóvenes migrantes. Nuestra campaña refleja nuestro compromiso para abordar todas las formas de VAWG en la sociedad británica.
Mira toda la campaña, imágenes y mensajes en nuestra página de Instagram: Sin Fronteras - LAWRS Instagram.
Involúcrate
Si tienes alguna pregunta o quieres participar en nuestras actividades gratuitas para jóvenes latinoamericanas, ¡nos encantaría saber de ti! Inscríbete a través de nuestro formulario de Google o contáctanos por WhatsApp al 07802 645001 o por correo electrónico a sinfronteras@lawrs.org.uk.
Nuestras actividades están abiertas a niñas y mujeres jóvenes latinoamericanas entre 14 y 25 años que vivan en el Reino Unido, incluidas mujeres latinoamericanas de primera y segunda generación y/o con nacionalidad europea o del Reino Unido.
We can’t fight in the dark: Brazilian women facing violence
A research by the King’s College in partnership with LAWRS found out that VAWG among Brazilian women in London is “alarmingly widespread”, with 4 in every 5 Brazilian women in London have experienced some kind of violence.
The study, published in March 2018, shed a light on cases of violence suffered by Brazilian women in London, provided data and offered policy recommendations to tackle the issue. According to the study emotional/psychological violence was the commonest type of violence experienced in London (48%), followed by physical violence (38%), with 14% experiencing sexual violence.
The study also found that cases of VAWG are intersectional as women of mixed race were more likely to experience violence (63%) than white women (44%). Insecure immigration status prevented women from coming forward and reporting the cases of violence to the police. Apart from highlighting the need for the Domestic Violence and Abuse (DVA) Bill to set standards for the protection of migrant victims’, some of the proposed solutions to prevent VAWG cases with Brazilian women are extending ‘recourse to public funds’ to domestic violence victims, specialist training for agency officers; and increased collaboration between support organisations and government authorities. The study reinforces the need for safe reporting mechanisms to be implemented as we campaign in Step Up Migrant Women.
La escasez de agua afecta la vida y el desarrollo humano.
Research: Minorities face Barriers to Islington Health
LAWRS Development and Outreach Coordinator Nahir de la Silva explains how LAWRS and the consortium Diverse Communities Health Voice found that Latin American women in Islington need better quality and gender-specific interpretation services to access healthcare.
Diverse Communities Health Voice, a consortium of ten Islington-based organisations*, has published its findings on research into how ethnic minorities are accessing the NHS: Community research 2016-2017 Black and minority ethnic groups accessing services in Islington.
As a consortium member, LAWRS interviewed 22 Latin American women* within our organisation, with research broken down into five different areas: pharmacies, wellbeing, accident & emergency, interpreting services, and referrals to specialist services.
We offer services including linguistically-specific counselling and yoga to help our community keep healthy.
Our interviews found that women experienced their first barrier when trying to make appointments. Reception staff did not provide appointments due to a lack of language understanding of our service users. We also heard of cases in which staff members would not offer interpreting services, despite the knowing that our users were not comfortable only using English.
This interview-based research has helped LAWRS identify different issues faced by our service users while trying to access the NHS. It is also helping us work with the community and local government to tackle these problems.
At LAWRS we wrote letters addressed to administrative staff from GP clinics asking for appointments and interpreters. We managed to get some much-needed appointments. LAWRS also provided information on services on offer in pharmacies, as well as free sports and wellbeing activities, dentist services, walk-in-centres, and complaint procedures.
Our research has also helped us conclude that language interpreting services need to be improved in Islington, as well as become more culturally and gender secure. We would also appreciate reception staff receiving appropriate Equality and Diversity training.
The final report makes the following recommendations
• To extend GP hours in order to make it possible for people working in different jobs to get appointments
• To promote information about the services available
• To translate this information into key languages to increase uptake
Read the full report here.[:es]
LAWRS Development and Outreach Coordinator Nahir de la Silva explains how the consortium Diverse Communities Health Voice also indicates that Latin American women in Islington need better quality and gender-specific interpretation services to access healthcare.
Diverse Communities Health Voice, a consortium of ten Islington-based organisations*, has published its findings on research into how ethnic minorities are accessing the NHS: Community research 2016-2017 Black and minority ethnic groups accessing services in Islington.
As a consortium member, LAWRS interviewed 22 Latin American women* within our organisation, with research broken down into five different areas: pharmacies, wellbeing, accident & emergency, interpreting services, and referrals to specialist services.
Our interviews found that women experienced their first barrier when trying to make appointments. Reception staff did not provide appointments due to a lack of language understanding of our service users. We also heard of cases in which staff members would not offer interpreting services, despite the knowing that our users were not comfortable only using English.
This interview-based research has helped LAWRS identify different issues faced by our service users while trying to access the NHS. It is also helping us work with the community and local government to tackle these problems.
At LAWRS we wrote letters addressed to administrative staff from GP clinics asking for appointments and interpreters. We managed to get some much-needed appointments. LAWRS also provided information on services on offer in pharmacies, as well as free sports and wellbeing activities, dentist services, walk-in-centres, and complaint procedures.
Our research has also helped us conclude that language interpreting services need to be improved in Islington, as well as become more culturally and gender secure. We would also appreciate reception staff receiving appropriate Equality and Diversity training.
The final report makes the following recommendations
• To extend GP hours in order to make it possible for people working in different jobs to get appointments
• To promote information about the services available
• To translate this information into key languages to increase uptake
Read the full report here.[:pt]LAWRS Development and Outreach Coordinator Nahir de la Silva explains how the consortium Diverse Communities Health Voice also indicates that Latin American women in Islington need better quality and gender-specific interpretation services to access healthcare.
Diverse Communities Health Voice, a consortium of ten Islington-based organisations*, has published its findings on research into how ethnic minorities are accessing the NHS: Community research 2016-2017 Black and minority ethnic groups accessing services in Islington.
As a consortium member, LAWRS interviewed 22 Latin American women* within our organisation, with research broken down into five different areas: pharmacies, wellbeing, accident & emergency, interpreting services, and referrals to specialist services.
Our interviews found that women experienced their first barrier when trying to make appointments. Reception staff did not provide appointments due to a lack of language understanding of our service users. We also heard of cases in which staff members would not offer interpreting services, despite the knowing that our users were not comfortable only using English.
This interview-based research has helped LAWRS identify different issues faced by our service users while trying to access the NHS. It is also helping us work with the community and local government to tackle these problems.
At LAWRS we wrote letters addressed to administrative staff from GP clinics asking for appointments and interpreters. We managed to get some much-needed appointments. LAWRS also provided information on services on offer in pharmacies, as well as free sports and wellbeing activities, dentist services, walk-in-centres, and complaint procedures.
Our research has also helped us conclude that language interpreting services need to be improved in Islington, as well as become more culturally and gender secure. We would also appreciate reception staff receiving appropriate Equality and Diversity training.
The final report makes the following recommendations
• To extend GP hours in order to make it possible for people working in different jobs to get appointments
• To promote information about the services available
• To translate this information into key languages to increase uptake
Read the full report here.
*Overall, 207 people were interviewed, across all participant organisations in the consortium. LAWRS has now been a consortium member for two years.
*The ten Islington-based organisations work to listen to and represent members of society that are not being heard by mainstream agencies.