How María Elena Esparza Guevara fights Mexico's silent epidemic of psychological abuse

María Elena Esparza Guevara has dedicated her work to combating gender-based psychological violence in Mexico. Through her NGO, Ola Violeta A.C., she runs empowerment workshops to highlight its risks and effects. She also advocates for stronger legal protections and wider use of tools like the 'violence meter' Esparza Guevara founded Ola Violeta A.C. to support women and raise awareness of psychological abuse. She describes 'emotional femicide' as a state of being dead while alive, where abuse erodes self-esteem and self-perception. According to her, victims often lose the ability to recognise their own risk, left paralysed by emotional harm.

Her research explores how gender stereotypes and societal mandates push women to ignore their feelings. This makes it harder for them to set boundaries against psychological aggressors. She examined classical philosophy from a feminist perspective in her thesis at Panamerican University.

Beyond empowering women, her NGO works with men to challenge machismo and patriarchy. The goal is to promote substantive equality and address how these systems harm men’s health and rights. Esparza Guevara also dreams of pursuing a postdoctoral fellowship, teaching, and continuing her work with the Women’s Economic Autonomy Program in Mexico City. Her efforts focus on both immediate support and long-term change. Strengthening legal frameworks and spreading awareness remain key to tackling psychological violence. Through education and advocacy, she aims to shift societal attitudes and protect more lives.