In February, 15 Q’eqchi’ Mayan women of Sepur Marco won a case against the former soldiers who forced them to become sex slaves for members of the Guatemalan military during that country’s 36 year civil war. The case was the first time in the world where wartime sexual violence was tried in the national courts of the country where the violence occurred, and it represents a precedent-setting victory against the impunity for war crimes in the country.

UT’s Teresa Lozano Long Institute of Latin American Studies will present two talks by psychologist Maudí Tzay, who will speak about her work with the witnesses in the trial as part of the Alliance to Break the Silence and End Impunity, a network of Guatemalan feminist and mental health organizations that provided accompaniment to the women testifying in the trial.

Read about Sepur Zarco and the landmark trial against Guatemalan dictator Efraín Ríos Montt in the most recent issue of LLILAS Benson’s Portal.

More information: Facebook event page or contact Lindsey Engelmann at lengelman@austin.utexas.edu.

Location: First Unitarian Universalist Church of Austin, 4700 Grover Avenue.