Thousands of Mexican Women March Against Femicide, Kidnapping

Thousands of Mexican women marched Saturday against femicides and attempted kidnappings. The protestors demanded President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) take appropriate measures for safeguarding women’s lives.

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The demonstration ended at Zocalo Square in the center of Federal District of Mexico City (DF), the capital of the country. On the way to the main square, women also held a minute of silence for those who have been killed or reported missing.

Luchadoras, a feminist organization, wrote on Twitter, “We almost reached the zocalo! In January alone, 133 women have been killed. Today we march for our lives. If you see an attempted kidnapping, SPEAK UP! DON'T JUST TURN AWAY! #Thenightisours #Thestreetisoursandthenightalso #Thestreetisours.”

The demonstrations asked the president to be vocal about femicides in Mexico.

Recently a number of reports of attempted kidnapping of women in DF's subway, the Metro, have been making rounds. These women are targeted by men outside or inside of stations who then try to get them into vehicles.

Claudia Sheinbaum, mayor of Mexico City, said that measures to combat the attackers and kidnappings are ongoing.

She is also meeting with the head of the Attorney General’s Office and the Metro to address the situation.

According to the United Nations, nine women are victims of femicide in Mexico every day, and six out of ten women face attacks and harrassment, mainly on public transport.

According to the data from the Executive Secretariat of the National Public Safety System, in December 2018, 74 femicides were registered in Mexico and 2018 saw the femicide of 861 women.