Summary

While her grandfather refused to acknowledge Chile’s appalling political situation, Allende would confront it head on. He would ask her if all she wanted was to cause trouble. Recalling this, Allende reflects on what women do want: safety, worth, peace, financial independence, connection, control, and love. On the topic of security, Allende states that violence against women is an important gauge of a country’s handling of human rights. Still rampant on several continents, violence against women is also perpetrated by terrorist groups and civilians. Men and women are not equal in the face of violence: some countries condone the killing of women for matters of honor, or stigmatize cases of domestic abuse. Women are often punished for men’s lack of impulse control. Universally, fear - along with isolation and ignorance - keeps women under control. The will to silence women...