Mexico Case Study: Gender Based Violence Impunity for Femicide and Transfemicide

By  Veronica Martinez-Solares, et al.

  The Mexico country case study is one of eight case studies that form the Latin America and Caribbean Learning and Rapid Response (LACLEARN) Gender-based Violence (GBV) Impunity Regional Study. Through an intersectional gender, power, and political economy approach, the Mexico case study explores: 1) the prevalence and social acceptance of femicide and transfemicide (FTF) based on literature review and secondary statistics to provide background and context for the study; and, 2) views shared in in-depth individual interviews (IDIs) with 30 respondents including institutional actors and civil society staff who work directly with GBV victims and survivors, and GBV and FTF survivors1. The case study diagnoses the state of FTF impunity in Mexico, identifies solutions to address impunity, and provides operational recommendations to USAID on changes needed to promote pathways to GBV and FTF accountability that center on survivors’ recommendations. DIAGNOSIS OF GBV AND FTF IMPUNITY IN MEXICO. Despite important progress in the past decade to address GBV and FTF in Mexico, and to develop necessary mechanisms for prevention, protection, and access to justice, the country still faces persistently high levels of GBV and impunity, particularly for cases of FTF. Widespread societal normalization of GBV, patriarchal, male-dominated social, economic, and political structures, corruption, and underlying impunity, persist as key factors that influence GBV prevalence generally, and FTF specifically. GBV prevention and protection programs are not equally available or accessible across the country. There is very little justice for cisgender and even less for transgender FTF survivors owing to inadequate or discriminatory response, or non-response by law enforcement and an absence of a gender perspective and survivor-centered, trauma-informed protocols and practices that do not re-victimize survivors.  

New York: USAID, 2023. 47p.