More and more often, women who defend the rights of their communities and lands are victims of sexual and physical violence and are even killed for “crossing the line.” In 2012, Juventina Villa was killed alongside her son in the mountains of Guerrero, Mexico. For years she had led the environmental organization Peasant Ecologists of Petatlán and Couca, and as a leader, she worked tirelessly to defend the forests, rivers, and communities of the region. Anoterer woman, Josefina Reyes, was killed in 2010 after criticizing the military’s violation of human rights along the U.S.-Mexico border. Margarita Chub Che, too, was murdered when she fought back against displacement due to agribusiness expansion. In Honduras, Guatemala, and Mexico, more than 24 women human rights defenders have been killed in a few short years. As a result, organizations of women across the world are demanding protection for those courageous enough to stand up against injustice.
