« Progressive Democrats contemplate eliminating mandatory reporting for suspected child abuse | ‘Obesity is a Slur:’ Latest Orwellian Lesson at Medical School »
PrintMay 1, 2024
Hard to be a woman south of the border
Sometimes it's hard to be a woman, to paraphrase Tammy Wynette.
Down in Mexico, it's awful to read the crime statistics. This is the story:
According to new figures from the Mexican Executive Secretariat of the National Public Security System’s (SESNSP) monthly report on gender violence in Mexico, six women were murdered per day on average during March 2024.With 200 intentional homicides committed against women in March, alongside the respective 200 and 221 incidents recorded in January and February, Mexico registered a total of 621 murders during the first quarter of 2024.Despite March’s slight decline in homicide figures, the number of women killed by manslaughter rose 41 percent from February to March from a reported 226 manslaughter incidents to 320.The data placed the majority of victims as over 18, with the homicides concentrated throughout the State of Mexico (Edoméx), Baja California, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Chihuahua, Michoacán and Jalisco.Meanwhile, Colima, Baja California and Guanajuato topped the list of most intentional homicides against women per capita across the country.Likewise, the SESNSP report found that intentional injuries against women, kidnappings, family violence, gender violence and sexual assault against women also increased in March.
Why women you ask? Well, a lot of men are getting killed too but women are more vulnerable, according to what my friends are telling me.
What makes this story more interesting is that Mexico is about to elect Claudia Sheinbaum president. She is from President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's party, and should win easily if the polls are correct. Sra. Sheinbaum, the former mayor of Mexico City, is promising to continue down LO's path and focus on social justice.
What can she do about protecting women? I don't know and I don't think that Mrs. Sheinbaum does, either.
In the meantime, they had a second debate and the candidates spent a lot of time insulting each other (""You're a cold woman with no heart.") and talking about Mexico City's water supply, a problem related to a drought and insufficient infrastructure. One candidate dared Mrs. Sheinbaum to drink a glass of tap water in Mexico City.
Maybe they will talk about the women getting killed the next time they have a debate.
P.S.: Check out my blog for posts, podcasts and videos.
Image: Screen shot from El Universal video, via YouTube.
