"Vivir sin violencia, es tu derecho!"

"To live without violence, is your right!" chanted the crowd that I guestimated to be about 450 strong. The vocal group, made up mostly of women but sprinkled with the occasional husband and child, made their way from the State Theater, through the City's center and into the central Parque Juarez. There, they gathered for a while and broke out frequently into the catchy slogan in response to several speeches given by various members of the local division of the Veracruz Institute of Women--the sponsoring organization of the afternoon activities.

Since 1999, November 25 has been deemed by the UN as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. Such a day has particular significance in a country so overrun with blatant machismo that, in addition to physical violence, encourages the general subjugation of Mexican women in a more subtle manner. On a daily basis, besides being extremely restricted in the role they're allowed to assume in their own home, women are subjected to relentless cat-calls the second they dare venture out onto public streets. Certainly, there is lots of progress to be made within our own borders. Still in 2007, the average woman receives just over 70 cents for every buck a man makes for doing the same work.

As long as our global society continues to attach a lower value to the contributions of women, we men will feel justified in beating them up at home.