Femicide In Mexico

By Krithika Dama

Femicide is the murder of a women because of their gender. It is deeply rooted in gender inequality and gender based discrimination. Most related crimes are committed by partners, family members with history of abuse, and sexual violence. Even though in Mexico it is already established since 2012 as a federal crime, femicide is still a major and ongoing issue.

In Mexico City there have been protests regarding femicide. Women and men are marching against the stream of violence and unrest being brought upon women. The protestors wave white flags and purple bandanas as well as green colors signifying support for the feminist movememnt.

Just in 2022 there have been almost 1000 recorded femicides.

The response to such deadly violence against women is often faced with indifference from both the government and authorities.

Most femicide cases go unsolved with many labeled as suicides. This is mainly because perpetrators of femicide cover up their crimes to make them look like suicides, and are often believed by more old school homicide detectives. Sayuri Herrera, who is now the lead in Mexico City's femicide unit, said that many of the perpetrators are creative in designing scenes of suicide, often placing the blame on women. Investigations are also tainted by prejudices and gender stereotypes about women especially regarding suicide. And often femicide crimes are overlooked by crimes regarding the cartel and drug related crimes.

However, in the new femicide unit hundreds of cases are being reopened. This unit is applying its own new investigative methods. And now, violent deaths involving women in Mexico City are handled by the femicide unit. All femicide cases are rooted in gender inequality as Sayuru says, in a culture of masculinity in which men consider women their property.

In terms of Mexico City, numbers have gone up by twenty-five percent. However, in the cases of other cities like that of Ixtapaluca there is little evidence of change.

Without the right resources as well as suffering from socioeconomic disparities, crime units have not investigated the crimes in the same way the Femicide unit in Mexico City has been.