Available?: Complaint to Arriba Córdoba on Channel 12 for media violence
On September 19 during the transmission of Arriba Córdoba, the morning news channel of Canal 12 in Córdoba, its driver, Jorge Cuadrado, showed on screen a picture of the actress and singer Jimena Barón, entitled “Jimena Barón, again available.” The treatment of the theme, in a jocular tone and clearly reifying of the woman, results repudiable.
“Below, we offer a google translate version of the original article in Spanish. This translation may not be accurate but serves as a general presentation of the article. For more accurate information, please switch to the Spanish version of the website. In addition, feel free to directly contact in English the person mentioned at the bottom of this article with regards to this topic”.
“Available”, according to the RAE means: 1. Adj. Said of one thing: That it can be freely available or that it is ready to be used or used.3. Adj. Said of a person: Free from impediment to provide services to someone. In this way, they place a woman as a thing that can be freely disposed of, is ready to be used, and is free from impediment to provide services. Since the term “available” was used to refer to the fact that she is single and since Jimena is heterosexual, it is clear that the subject who can “dispose” is a man.
We consider that it is a clear case of Mediaeval Violence and Symbolic Violence in accordance with the definitions Law 26,485 of Comprehensive Protection to Prevent, Punish and Eradicate Violence against Women, and which are also contemplated in Law 26,522 on Audiovisual Communication Services. It also violates and transgresses all guidelines stipulated in the different Guidelines for the Journalistic Treatment Responsible for Violence against Women cases. Therefore, on September 20, we made the corresponding complaint to the Observatory of Symbolic and Mediatic Violence of INAM (National Institute for Women).
It has not yet responded to our complaint, so it is worrying in relation to the commitments made by the INAM regarding the approach to media violence presented in the National Plan of Action for the Prevention, Assistance and Eradication of Violence Against Women.
We continue asking that the media engage in the promotion and respect of equality, avoiding content that reproduces forms of media violence against women, respecting their integrity and their rights at all times. Their role in the construction of meaning is fundamental and they must comply with the laws and avoid practices that promote discrimination, reification and stereotyping of women.
In a context of changing times and advances to dismantle discriminatory structures based on gender, journalistic treatments of this kind do nothing but subtract in the necessary social evolution and contribute to reinforcing violent patriarchal orderings.
Likewise, we urge all public entities to receive complaints for media violence, to fulfill their institutional role of being at the service of citizens, to respond to such cases in a timely manner, and to seriously commit themselves to this struggle.
Author
Emilia Pioletti
Contact
Virginia Pedraza, vir.pedraza@fundeps.org
