The day you love me
A candid observation of domestic abuse and machismo in Nicaragua’s capital Managua, The day you love me follows the daily procedures of the Police Commissary for women and children. Frankly and without inhibition several women and children express their grievances to the commissary’s employees as they file charges about abusive husbands, lovers and parents. Despite the incessant social disparity of the community, the police and social workers demonstrate their skill in dealing with a range of situations and abuses.
Machismo in Latin-America
Machismo is a Spanish term used in Latin-America to indicated the socially accepted superiority and expected dominance of men over women. Although the term and its perception in Latin-America might seem sexist from the perspective of Western audiences, it is widely accepted in marital relations in Nicaragua. Combined with social depravity and alcohol abuse, police are often confronted with a wall of silence when dealing with domestics violence. Therefore only a very small percentages of the filed charged ever lead to prosecution.
About the filmmaker
Florence Jaugey was born in 1959 in Nice, France and studied drama at the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Arts et Tecniques du Theatre. In 1990, together with Frank Pineda, a Nicaraguan filmmaker, they set up Camila Films. Its productions mainly reflect on cultural and social aspects of life in Nicaragua and the rest of Central America. In 1998 Jaugey won the Silver Berlin Bear, for her short film Cinema Alcazar.
Awards
Union Latine Prize for best documentary, Biarritz Latin American Film Festival (La Cita). France. 2000. Jury Prize, San Juan Cinemafest. Puerto Rico. 2000. Best editing. Icaro Films Festival. Guatemala. 2000.
Scenes
Daily Grind
In Nicaragua the daily harassment of women and children goes largely unnoticed and many cases are not reported. We are led into the story of a woman who is beaten and threatened by here husband. A daily dose of life for many women in the country. We see how the poor judicial system limits the protection fo these vulnerable women.
Child Abuse
It is not only women that are victims of home abuse. Poor policing, a lack of money and the poor judicial system creates little help for children that are victims in their own homes. Many are scared to approach the police and for those who do, it often can go unnoticed with the father or mother going unpunished.
SIlence
For many of the victims it is easier to remain silent to avoid more home violence. These women and children’s silence helps prolong the unjustice in the country.
Cover up
Many are able to cover up the violence they have committed. There are vast cases that are dropped before they go to court because the couple have made up and decide to continue living together.
Continuing problems
With a limited budget, a lack of materials and a lack of help from the authorities, the problems of women and child abuse in Nicaragua continue to grow.