Activists in Cochabamba protest against the alarming rates of violence against women. Photo by Stephanie Weiss.

According to a United Nations report, seven out of ten Bolivian women have been victims of violence, and only 17% turn to the authorities to report the cases. In addition, a Pan American Health Organization report found that 53% of Bolivian women [es] have been victims of physical or sexual violence, which was the most of the twelve countries in the region that were surveyed.

In light of a recent increase in the number of these types of crimes against Bolivian women, a group of activists in the city of Cochabamba protested in front of the Judicial Palace and in the Main Plaza on February 6, 2013, citing the inaction and silence from State institutions. Photographer Stephanie Weiss posted a Flickr album with photos from these street protests, which were partly organized through the use of social media.