Violencia de género como problema estructural: convergencias y tensiones entre la jurisprudencia y la evidencia empírica en Ecuador

Abstract

Gender-based violence in Ecuador remains a structural problem despite advanced legal frameworks and international commitments. This study was carried out in two phases: a systematic review of scientific literature published between 2018 and 2025 and a jurisprudential analysis of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, and the Constitutional Court of Ecuador. Results indicate a high prevalence of psychological, physical, sexual, economic, and patrimonial violence, linked to risk factors such as age, educational level, rural residence, and ethnic belonging. Jurisprudentially, standards were consolidated that recognize gender-based violence as a human rights violation, expanding its scope to include obstetric, patrimonial, and symbolic forms. The comparison between empirical evidence and legal standards reveals convergences in the conceptualization of the problem, but also tensions related to limited policy implementation and persistent cultural patterns. The findings highlight the need to move towards a transformative justice that links normative recognition with effective social and institutional changes.