Domestic Violence and Indicted Women in the Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina (End of the 19th Century-Beginning of the 20th Century)

The article analyzes the crimes of homicide, injuries, and use of firearms committed by women against their spouses toward the end of the 19th century and at the beginning of the 20th century in the Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina. The study focuses on the narratives found in three professional justice legal records, paying special attention to the historical evidence regarding the experiences of the societies of the Province of Buenos Aires. On the basis of the precepts of marriage regarding sexual fidelity and the obedience of women, as well as of marital protection and restriction, the article examines the problem of domestic violence by analyzing cases in which women were the defendants. Thus, it seeks to explore the construction of the crimes, inquiring into the aspects of gender and violence found in the different interventions during the legal process.