Domestic Violence in Mexico

Delaney Logan
World Studies
Spring 2016
INTRODUCTION
Imagine, youre a woman in Mexico, walking along the streets that you think are safe. All
of the sudden, a man, much older and stronger than you grabs you, and takes you away. You, of
course, are hopeless, but he has two options. This stranger will either abuse you physically and
sexually, or choose to murder you with no hesitation. Young rape victim, Paulina, has chosen to
speak out about her attack, filed in early 2002. Paulina, who turns 18 today, was 13 years old
when she was raped by a heroin addict who broke into her home. These hapless incidents can be
stopped, but little to no cases are filed and investigated. According to the National Citizen
Femicide Observatory, six women are killed in Mexico everyday.
Domestic violence in Mexico is is growing matter that has been around since, believe it
or not, the early 1900s. This reoccurring problem has not yet been seized. The numbers of
abductions, rapes, and murders of women are higher in Mexico than ever before, with an average
of seven women killed violently every day, according to local media. Women in Mexico are
being sexually and physically abused with no proper law currently protecting them, breaking
several human rights regulations and causing corruption in the country. The fact that women are
being abused like this and not being payed attention to is breaking the right that we are all equal
before the law. If the statute about this abuse is followed, the issue would be under control.
Unfortunately, these cases are so common, that the government doesnt pay attention to these
issues. Since a big part of this violence is a result of physical and sexual torture, it is also going
heavily against the right that no one shall be tortured. These complications are occurring day by

day with little notice or care from the countrys government. The men living in this country are
using their strength to rape, abuse, and murder women. Women and childrens lives are slowly
becoming more and more dangerous because of this problem. From young ages to old, no girl is
safe in Mexico. Women currently are unable to feel safe, and cannot protect themselves in their
own country. Little protest to this issue results in no change to womens rights.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Domestic violence in Mexico has, in fact, decreased over the past century, but the issue still
remains. Although the number of rape has declined over the past one hundred years, the number
of kidnappings leading to possible murders has grown an overwhelming amount each year. The
number of kidnappings has grown every year since Caldern launched his massive crackdown on
the cartels. The reason for this unjust and sickening violence is a result of the Mexican drug
war. The total number of people estimated to have been killed since the administration of
former President Felipe Caldern launched its war on the drug cartels. This causes many
Mexican men to now rely on other criminal activities instead of smuggling drugs. This leads to
kidnapping, raping, and murdering women of all ages. Unfortunately, the Mexican government
has not done a lot to prevent this problem, at least not effectively. These violations happen so
frequently, that its not a big deal to the local government anymore. Thus making it even harder
for the innocent voices to be heard. Femicides are much more common than the press
acknowledges; almost everyday a woman's body is found dumped on the side of the road or in
one of the dirty canals outside the city. The government doesnt care enough about this issue to
do anything about it. Its so corrupt here. I dont think the government will do anything unless
people really protest for security measures for women. The governmentjust protects businesses
and the ruling class. Nobody else gets anything. said protester Guadalupe Trejo.

MODERN SOLUTIONS
Many women in Mexico have tried to speak out about and protest their rights
Congresswomen and activists in Mexico City on Monday lay on the ground imitating a crime
scene with chalk outlines around their bodies, while chanting "gender alert in the State of
Mexico". As a result of this peaceful protest in Ciudad Juarez, new funds are being struck to help
the protection of the victims. Still, the outcry does not stop here. A more recent protest has come
along to not only the streets of Mexico City, but to social media as well. Pictures with significant
hashtags have been spread around the web, with many hopeful women behind them. The
hashtags women have been spreading on Twitter and Facebook appear to be germinating a new
social movement. They translate to No Means No, Dont Remain Silent, and My First
Harassment. These buoyant attitudes are already on track to help Mexicos women, the culture
will not change overnight, but women are coming together to challenge the silence by speaking
up and denouncing perpetrators.
To make this human right achievable, more protests must be brought up to the government's
attention, more statistics must be shown to the people of Mexico, and more countries must get
involved in helping to end this abuse. By having more protests about this issue, the local
government will see that the Mexican citizens care about their womens well being. By showing
others statistics of these documented abuses, rapes, and murders, people will further understand
what is going on in Mexico and bring it to others attention. Though, in order to fully stop the
violence in Mexico against women, other, bigger countries must get involved. This will not cause
a war against nations, it will only help the women of Mexico get their freedom that they very
much deserve. The drug war in Mexico between the government and different drug trafficking

syndicates is all people know about issues in this country. The word must be spread that women's
rights are being violated.
CONCLUSION: EVALUATION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Mexico can try and fix this problem by getting the drug war under control and by just
noticing and reporting the cases of domestic violence. The drug war in Mexico, otherwise known
as mexican drug trafficking has resulted in little notice to the lack of safety for women. The
action of drug trafficking is basically supporting the idea of drugs and drug based violence.
Getting this problem under control will cause most violence to go away on its own, and the
crimes that are left can be resolved with the time that the government would now have, instead of
dealing with the drug war. The state of Mexico is so caught up in fixing their drug problem that
there is no attention paid to the victims of these murderous actions. Additionally, having people,
especially the victims of these wrongdoings speaking out can help the government control, and
understand the problems that the country is facing. Out of the many conflicts thriving in Mexico,
domestic violence is by far the least controlled, or cared about when it comes to the government.
By getting the drug war under restraints, narcotic related crimes will stop, resulting in most
violence against women to vanish. These two topics go hand in hand, as well as the victims and
families not speaking up. If the government can get the issue with the drug war limited, and more
sufferers start to speak out, things for women will start looking up.
WORKS CITED
"Young Mexican Rape Victim Speaks Out on Her 18th Birthday, Urging the Inter-American
Commission on Human Rights to Formally Admit Her Case." Center for Reproductive Rights.
Accessed April 28, 2016. http://www.reproductiverights.org/press-room/young-mexican-rapevictim-speaks-out-on-her-18th-birthday-urging-the-inter-american-commi

"Violence against Women Soars in Mexico." Violence against Women Soars in Mexico.
Accessed April 06, 2016. http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/11/25/violence-womenmexico.html
"Violence against Women Soars in Mexico." Violence against Women Soars in Mexico.
Accessed April 06, 2016. http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/11/25/violence-womenmexico.html
Gordts, Eline. "11 Numbers To Help You Understand The Violence Rocking Mexico." The
Huffington Post. Accessed April 06, 2016. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/31/mexicoviolence-numbers_n_6075258.htm
Gordts, Eline. "11 Numbers To Help You Understand The Violence Rocking Mexico." The
Huffington Post. Accessed April 06, 2016. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/31/mexicoviolence-numbers_n_6075258.html
"'Bruised and Battered' Activists Demand Government Do More to Stop Violence Against
Women in Mexico." Fusion. Accessed April 06, 2016. http://fusion.net/story/209144/bruisedand-battered-activists-demand-government-do-more-to-stop-violence-against-women-in-mexico/
"Women in Mexico Rally against Rampant Domestic Violence." - Al Jazeera English. Accessed
April 08, 2016. http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/07/women-mexico-rally-rampantdomestic-violence-150721065741156.html
"Mexican Women Turn Hashtag Protest Into Movement Against Violence and Sexual
Harassment." Fusion. Accessed April 28, 2016. http://fusion.net/story/295309/mexican-womenturn-hashtag-protest-into-movement-against-violence-and-sexual-harassment/