A new report found that the rate of violent crimes against women in Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala has drastically increased, reaching crisis level. The report, researched by Nobel Peace Prize laureates Jody Williams and Rogoberta Menchu on a 10-day fact finding mission, shows that increased militarization in the countries has disproportionately affected women.
According to the report, “increasing militarization and police repression under the guise of the war on drugs has led to more violence overall and more frequent attacks on women, who lead efforts to protect their communities against threats to their lands and natural resources, and protest military and police abuses.”
The report found that femicide has increased over the past 10 years by 257 percent in Honduras, 40 percent in Mexico, and over 30 percent in Guatemala. The violent attacks against women include incidents of rape, torture, and murder. The report also found that very few of the perpetrators of the attacks are ever brought to justice.
CNN 6/5/12; Nobel Women’s Initiative Press Release 6/5/12; JASS/ Nobel Women’s Initiative Joint Report 6/5/12
