NOW Calls for Commitment to Stop Brutal Murder of Juarez Women
Mexico Appoints New Prosecutor to Investigate Killings

By Holly Cowart, Publications Intern

June 9, 2005   |   En Español

Mexican officials announced last week that the murder of hundreds of women in Juarez, Mexico—also known as "the capital of murdered women"—will be investigated by a new special prosecutor. The Juarez murders became the focus of a resolution developed at the NOW Foundation's Women of Color and Allies (WOCA) Summit in April of this year. WOCA participants viewed Lourdes Portillo's award-winning documentary "Señorita Extraviada," which details the continuing violence women face in Juarez. NOW activists proposed a number of ways to take action and create visibility around this issue that will be taken to issue hearings at the 2005 National Conference, and the National Board will hold its December meeting in nearby El Paso, Texas, in order to participate in protest actions.

"We are pleased that a new prosecutor had been assigned to investigate these cases," said NOW Action Vice President Olga Vives. "We hope that this time, after so many false promises of investigation and resolution of these murders, the Mexican government places a high priority on finding the perpetrators of these crimes and finally bring them to justice — not just some, but ALL of them. We'll be watching this issue closely to see that Mexican officials start taking women's safety seriously in Juarez."

NOW also encourages the new prosecutor to work with human rights organizations and with the families of the victims who for years have been trying to get their attention.

"We need to remain vigilant so that there is an end to the violation of women's human rights," Vives said. "The murders in Juarez must stop."

Mireille Roccatti was appointed May 30 to replace Lopez Urbina, who has been widely criticized by human rights groups for inaction. Of the 340 murders reported by authorities in Juarez since 1993, Lopez only opened 22 investigations. She only charged two state officials with negligence despite a 2003 United Nations (UN) report calling for widespread reform. Roccatti told reporters in a press conference on May 26 that she would focus on prevention. "We have to create a culture of prevention," Roccatti said. "We have to stop the violence against women."

The victims have primarily been young women who have been raped and strangled, their bodies left in the desert or on a secluded street. They worked at maquiladoras, assembly factories often equated to sweatshops, where they earned $55 a week from U.S. companies such as Alcoa, DuPont and General Electric.

Roccatti will need to change the daily reality of most Juarez women who have to wait in the dark on empty streets for the buses that take them to and from the maquiladoras. These women are turned away from the factories if they are even a few minutes late to face a long, dangerous walk home past crosses for the dead and billboards that remind them, "Be careful — watch for your life."

To date, no safety measures have been put in place by the factories or the Mexican government. In fact, victim's advocates face a culture where violence against women has traditionally been ignored by authorities. Advocates believe the culture actually works to foster violence, rather than prevent it — for example, men in Mexico cannot be charged with spousal rape. The former Attorney General of Chihuahua, the state where Juarez is located, said the murder victims encouraged the attacks by dressing provocatively.

Many advocates scorn Mexican President Vicente Fox for possibly playing a role in perpetuating violence against women. On the day he announced Roccatti's appointment, he blatantly lied by saying, "the great majority of cases have been solved," and then went on to blame the media for focusing on security problems rather than the criminals detained.

The following day, Fox attempted to back away from his controversial comments. "200 killers are in prison," he said. "This shows the work done so far, but we're aware there are still other cases that need to be solved." The number Fox cited was based on a report by Urbina. This report has been criticized by citizens of Juarez and human rights watch groups. Many of those who confessed in police custody have said they were tortured. Despite assurances that the perpetrators have been jailed, the killings continue. Seventeen more murders have taken place in the past six months.

International pressure to stop the killings has come from the U.N. and from human rights groups. However, the U.S. government must take greater responsibility for conditions in Juarez. The city is located across the border from El Paso, Texas. The factories in Juarez, most of which are U.S. owned and operated, employ young women living in poverty to create goods for export to the U.S. These U.S. companies use factories in Mexico because the low taxes, lenient environmental regulations and cheap labor made possible by North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) means cheaper goods.

Earlier this year, Rep. Hilda Solis (D-Calif.), co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional Caucus on Women's Issues, introduced a House concurrent resolution on the Juarez crisis. Among other things, the resolution asks the Mexican government to incorporate its investigative efforts into a bilateral agenda between the U.S. and Mexico. Such a move would allow for U.S. investigative resources to be deployed in solving these crimes. In addition, the resolution condemns the use of torture as a means of investigation into these murders and asks the Mexican government to review cases in which torture may have been used to gain convictions. Further, the resolution — which has been buried in the House International Relations Committee since March by the Republican majority — urges the Mexican government to hold responsible the law enforcement officials whose negligence or abuse has led to impunity for these crimes.

Be sure to come to the National Conference in Nashville beginning to July 1 to see the film "Señorita Extraviada" and make plans with us — to take action to end this violence against women and girls.