Background

The Latin American labour movement has historically been a male-dominated space. Women and LGBTIQ+ people face persistent barriers to decision-making positions and to the full exercise of political leadership within unions. Technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV) deepens these inequalities and restricts the labour and human rights of women in the movement.

The Observatorio de Plataformas (OdP) works through educommunication, addressing labour rights, technology-related narratives, work in digital ecosystems, and the struggles of community-based organizations. Its approach centres on co-creation and consensual representation, producing knowledge together with workers. Intersectionality is a core element of both its feminist ethics and its research praxis.

Methodology

This pioneering transfeminist study in Latin America examines how TFGBV manifests within the labour movement in Ecuador, Chile and Argentina. Developed with trade unionist women and allies, the methodology rests on active listening and political trust. The project treats research as political work in which neutrality does not exist, since knowledge is always situated and theory is produced within specific bodies, identities, geographies and emotions, shaped by intersecting systems of oppression.

The study combined two methods:

A digital survey of working women in the three focus countries, with additional participation from Peru, Bolivia, Colombia and Mexico.

In-depth interviews with presidents of unions, associations and confederations, as well as union delegates and congressional representatives of a digital platform workers’ union.

Gender identity, sexual orientation, age, length of union involvement, and leadership role were all considered in the analysis.

Key Findings

The survey received responses from women aged 20 to 69, with concentrations in the 35-45 and 50-55 age groups. The results reveal alarming patterns of violence:

Gendered belittlement: 56.2% of respondents received comments undermining their work on the basis of gender stereotypes, including derogatory references to their bodies, sexuality, or traditional gender roles.

Threats: 42.5% reported threats to their physical, psychological, economic, or sexual integrity linked to their union activity.

Systematic harassment: An equal share (42.5%) experienced sustained harassment through calls, messages, and discriminatory comments.

Responses and Resistance

Beyond documenting violence, the research foregrounds women’s responses to it, highlighting the feminist potential of doing politics and the role of political hope. States have largely failed to implement the international instruments and treaties that mandate the eradication of violence against women in all spheres. In this context, women union leaders have developed their own strategies to confront TFGBV.

These strategies respond to the specific needs and contexts of the women involved, yet share a common foundation in feminist praxis and language. They act as a mobilizing force and as a collective response to the fear that sexist violence seeks to instill in order to silence women in every arena.

* Read the Full Report: The complete report is available in English and Spanish on the OdP website.