Professor of Policy and Quantitative Methods
This research insights brief sheds light on the alarming high number of hate killings of girls and women, known as femicides in Mexico. While legislation targeting gender-based violence has much improved, our research reveals a stark truth – over a decade of implementing femicide laws has shown no reduction in femicides, homicides of women, nor the number of girls and women reported as missing.
With a focus on tackling misclassification of femicides, addressing legal ambiguities, tackling the key drivers of femicides including domestic violence and the ongoing war on drugs, our recommendations aim to reshape the narrative and address the pressing issue of violence against women in Mexico. Join us in this crucial conversation, as we navigate the complexities of femicide legislation, seeking a path toward justice and societal transformation.
This research insights brief is a must-read for policymakers, feminist activists, academics, and members of civil society deeply invested in understanding and combatting gender-based violence.
The brief is also available in Spanish.
The femicide laws implemented across 18 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean is thanks to enormous efforts of feminist groups and legislators. This is a milestone, but laws alone are not the solution. Impunity needs to be addressed, as well as how the country addresses the multiple causes of violence. Our findings are very relevant to countries such as Canada, and several African and European countries, where debates about whether femicide legislation should be implemented to end violence against girls and women.— Dr Roxana Gutiérrez-Romero
Professor Roxana Gutiérrez-Romero
PhD in economics from the University of Cambridge (King’s College), specialising in economic development, with a focus on violent conflict, the persistent effects of inequalities in wealth and poor economic governance. Professor Gutiérrez-Romero’s research delves into applied quantitative methods, seeking to advance our understanding of how to overcome the most significant barriers to economic development.
Are you an academic at the School of Business and Management and want to share your research insights in a brief? Email Dr Elena Doldor, Research Impact & Engagement Director, at e.r.doldor@qmul.ac.uk.