Leiden University Student Repository

Estrada Londoño, Julia (2019)

A Machista Society: Understanding Impunity and Injustice through the Feminicides of Ciudad Juárez

Bachelor thesis | International Studies (BA)

From 1993 onwards, Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, became the epicentre of the abduction and murder of women. This phenomenon is referred to as feminicide, the misogynistic killing of women for gender reasons, for being women. Due to the lack of State responsibility, the killings were not investigated, perpetrators were not prosecuted or convicted, victims were blamed, and the access to justice was thus restricted. Therefore, feminicides are associated with a high level of impunity. In order to address the high feminicide rate and the issue of impunity accordingly, the Mexican State implemented gender-based violence legislation that includes the act of feminicide as its most extreme form. Moreover, feminicides have been classified as an official crime in the Federal Criminal Code and in the Criminal Code of the State of Chihuahua. Hence, this thesis aims to examine the feminicides of Ciudad Juárez and the impact of the changes in legislation in relation to the issue of impunity, in order...Show moreFrom 1993 onwards, Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, became the epicentre of the abduction and murder of women. This phenomenon is referred to as feminicide, the misogynistic killing of women for gender reasons, for being women. Due to the lack of State responsibility, the killings were not investigated, perpetrators were not prosecuted or convicted, victims were blamed, and the access to justice was thus restricted. Therefore, feminicides are associated with a high level of impunity. In order to address the high feminicide rate and the issue of impunity accordingly, the Mexican State implemented gender-based violence legislation that includes the act of feminicide as its most extreme form. Moreover, feminicides have been classified as an official crime in the Federal Criminal Code and in the Criminal Code of the State of Chihuahua. Hence, this thesis aims to examine the feminicides of Ciudad Juárez and the impact of the changes in legislation in relation to the issue of impunity, in order to establish what this reveals about how impunity can be addressed effectively.Show less

Feminicides

Ciudad Juárez

Impunity

Gender-based violence legislation

Mexico

State responsibility

Gender violence

Author

Estrada Londoño, Julia

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities

Specialisation

Latin America

Supervisors

Bruil, Martine

ECTS Credits

15

Language

en