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Feminicide laws are failing

Roxana Gutiérrez-Romero

Professor of Policy and Quantitative Methods

Femicide laws are failing

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.

Who should read this brief?

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. 

  • For policymakers, it provides a stark reality of how femicides have increased in parallel to the ongoing war on drugs. New approaches are needed to tackle the growing violence against men and women.  Policymakers will also gain valuable perspectives on the lack of uniformity in the femicide legislation and varying penalties across states, and most important of all, how ineffective these laws have been in tackling the killing of girls and women, prompting a call to address impunity and address the drivers of violence.
  • For activists, it provides critical insights into the effectiveness of femicide laws, encouraging a shift in focus toward reducing impunity. 
  • Civil society members are invited to delve into the complexities of femicide legislation, advocating for standardized punishments and united efforts against impunity. 
  • Academics keen on unravelling the intricacies of legislative impact on femicides will find this brief to be a rich source of nuanced understanding. 

The brief is also available in Spanish.

Feminicide laws are failing

Download here (English version) Download here (Spanish version)
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

About the researcher

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.

Be the next author

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.

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