PHILATELIC MESSAGES AGAINST GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE

Objectives

To identify the worldwide spread of postal stamps with messages opposing violence against women and to describe their iconographic elements.

Materials and method

Review of the catalog Yvert et Tellier 2017 in search of stamp collections related to campaigns opposing violence against women. Descriptive analysis of stamps following Panofsky's methodology. The images were analyzed bearing in mind their context as well as the timing and reason of the stamp issue.

Results

Between 1985 and 2017, 126 stamps were found: 40 in Europe, 53 in America, 19 in Africa, 11 in Asia and 3 in Oceania. Most of the stamps contain legends with messages for the eradication of violence against women. The symbols used include the: white dove (peace), violet ribbon (denunciation against violence), white ribbon (male denunciation against violence), extended hands (stop violence), white flowers (innocence or purity), chains (slavery), crying (suffering), blinded eyes (deprivation of rights), butterfly (freedom), the goddess of justice and the relationship between male and female symbols (equality). We also found stamps about genital mutilation; trafficking of women for sexual exploitation; homage to characters representing the struggle against violence; and stamps showing institutional support resources.

Conclusions

The representation of gender violence is present in a large number of countries, especially in Europe and America. The stamps are intended to make society aware of this social evil and to insist on the importance of education to prevent all forms of violence against women.