Femicides and violence against women increase amid the pandemic 

Regarding violence, the country breaks new records quite often. This time, femicides reached a new peak during the first four months of 2020 : 987 cases, in contrast with 884 cases registered in 2019. In the last year, femicide investigations doubled.

When comparing the homicides registered in April, the situation is also alarming. For the last five years, authorities hadn’t registered over 260 deaths of women but in April 2020, they registered 267.

Violence against women

hasn't stopped. Although it is unknown if the reason behind those crimes was their gender , they coincide with isolation measures and quarantine , which were imposed amid the COVID-19 pandemic .

In the case of femicides , the alarming situation hasn't changed. During the first four months of the year, authorities registered 308 cases, in contrast with 305 cases registered in 2019.

Recommended: The COVID-19 pandemic could exacerbate domestic violence

In recent days, several NGOs denounced an increase in violence against women as a consequence of the quarantine. Mexico , along with many other countries, is reporting a phenomenon registered amid the COVID-19 pandemic: staying home has turned into a risk for many women.

However, the federal government dismissed this information and argued that Mexican families have values that would never allow this alarming situation.

Official numbers show this information is not false. Very little has changed for Mexican women in recent years regarding gender-based violence .

Denying reality is to waste time now that women are at risk since they spend days and weeks trapped with their aggressors . The lack of empathy shown by the government infuriates feminist groups , who feel abandoned by those who are supposed to deliver justice and protection.

Each attack against women puts the foundations and continuity of the social structure at risk. Women have demanded justice for decades but there has been no response. How long should they wait?

Recommended: What is femicide?

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