I went to the screening for the film Justice For My Sister mainly because I thought the film would be relatable to our class and what we were focusing on during that time.The film follows Rebeca in her search for justice for here sister, Adela who was killed while she was returning from work. Throughout the film, she deals with a variety of different obstacles that prevent her from finding justice for her sister ranging from incompetent police officials, lost certificates and investigation records, gangs. an overwhelmed court system and a general lack of concern regarding violence in the area and specifically, violence against women.
One part of the film that really stood out in my mind was some of the data they revealed about life in Guatemala. In the last decade alone, roughly 6000 women have been killed with the majority of them unsolved. Of the cases who have been tried, only 2 percent of the perpetrators have gone to jail.
Another aspect of the film I really enjoyed was learning about their court system. In the United States, although our court system may not be perfect, it is much MUCH better than those in other countries. In Guatemala, the court system is headed by a three judge panel, who decides your fate, much like how a jury would here in the United States. In addition, the court system is very informal. While in the United States, our courts are very elaborate, large and full of specific protocol, the judicial system in Guatemala is a complete opposite. The court rooms are small, simple, and looks like a typical classroom in Cowell. In terms of protocol, the only one that was strictly enforced was when people stood up when the judges entered and exited the room. One example of the problems with the court system in Guatemala centered around one of the judges.
In the case of Adela (the one murdered when returning home), they arrested her ex-boyfriend who had a history of domestic violence against Adela and other women. While this was a case of murder and domestic abuse, one of the presiding judges at the time of the hearing was also undergoing a trial and investigation surrounding his role in his wife's death. After a protest regarding this conflict of interest by the prosecution, the judge was allowed to continue to preside over the case. This was one of the leading examples of how unfair and disorganized the justice system is in Guatemala. In the end, the suspect in Adela's murder convicted and later sentenced to 20 years (which was further extended to 30 years) in prison.
Following the film, there was a discussion with 2 professors from the International Studies program and a woman from an organization surrounding domestic abuse. Although they all made very interested points, the one point they made that really stood out was the need for gendered based asylum, especially in countries such as Guatemala where violence against women is rampant. She argued that violence against women is often forgotten on the international level. While we grant asylum to cases such as war, we should grant gendered based asylum because there is a war against women.
In the end, I really liked the film and the discussion. It was interesting and very thought provoking. I liked learning about the different court systems, and how much perseverance and self motivation it takes to bring a case to court, and charge someone with a crime in the case of Guatemala, where the court system is overwhelmed with cases and where violence against women is everywhere. The produced/director herself was raped while she was in Guatemala filming the documentary.
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