Violence seems to be a thread that runs through the fabric of our lives, in fact it has always been present in different forms, in all societies and in all historical periods.
The violent behavior that leads humans to repress their fellow humans has a strong evolutionary root even if the frequency with which it occurs is strongly influenced by the era and the society in which we live.
The roots of violence in Honduras are intertwined in various cultural aspects that lead to a deep rootedness in society. In Honduras, gangs have almost total control of some areas of the country, especially in communities characterized by poverty, limited access to quality education and adequate health care and where unemployment rates are high.
All of these factors create an environment in which young people can feel marginalized and without hope, and gangs can offer a sense of belonging, protection and financial stability.
If we could not remain suspended on the surface but go deeper into the phenomenon of gangs and their violence, we would realize that behind the threshold of violence flaunted by their members there is a difficult path that leads to the origin of the problem.
The high rate of unemployment, the high levels of domestic violence and the large number of early pregnancies and mothers who raise their children alone (also due to the male chauvinist culture), constitute the social incubator of the phenomenon of gangs and their violent escalation.
Natural families are often absent and for many kids the gang replaces this absence: it is the only refuge in which they find solidarity and a sense of belonging and this double track of violence and abandonment are two sides of the same coin.
Since Honduras has the second highest homicide rate in the world, with 63.75 homicides per 100,000 people, and also has one of the highest incidences of deaths related to firearms, a national state of emergency has been in effect since December 6, 2022 to strengthen the fight against crime.
However, not all deaths can be attributed only to gunfights between gangs or with the police; in fact, Honduras is also fighting a war against gender violence that prevails in the country, mainly due to a sexist and patriarchal culture and society, which leads Honduras to be one of the countries in the world where women suffer the most violence.
Data from the National Commissioner for Human Rights indicate that between 2002 and 2023, more than 8,100 women lost their lives in violent circumstances.
2023 was one of the most violent years against women in the last 10 years, with 386 violent deaths against women recorded, approximately 1 every 22 hours.
The failure of the authorities translates into a high level of impunity, above 94% for most crimes against women, and all this impunity contributes to “normalizing” gender-based violence.
Limited access to opportunities for personal and professional growth can lead people to believe that gang involvement is their only path to success, and the absence of positive role models can leave a void in the lives of young people, making them susceptible to negative influences.
Often repression is used to stem the problem of gangs, but many times it turns into abuse by the police, and these methods increase fear in the population.
If repression fails to eradicate the gang phenomenon and this violence that is spreading throughout the country, wouldn’t it be more appropriate to ask ourselves if we shouldn’t first act on education, social justice, socioeconomic disparities, also strengthening family dynamics and creating opportunities for personal growth?
People almost always become aggressive after suffering violence and often the kids who join a gang are the product of the environment in which they live and like every human being they learn to give to life what they receive from it.
