Ximena Adán Ramírez

Nicole Sailors
ENGPC 106L
March 14th, 2020

“National Women Strike in Mexico Against Gender Violence”

Zendy Flores was a friend of mine, we used to be together when we were on

elementary school, until she move to another state. I woke up on July 11th of 2018 with the

devastating news that she was found lifeless; she was only 16 when a man took her life, she

was not doing anything wrong, she only was on her way to school when this happened.

Mexican women, face a totally violent country, even in it’s laws, a country where

we can’t feel safe on the streets, because we now that something can happen to us; we were

tired about all of this, that’s why, millions o women disappeared from the streets, from their

jobs, schools, etc. on March 9, 2020, which has caused an intense debate in traditional

media and social networks; this strike ws due to the wave of femicides, abuses and rapes,

against the women of the country; many people have made their positions known about

this, there’s a lot of people who manifested against it, because they just think it was a waste

of time, but especially, people were against it because it especially because, the absence of

women affected sales, labor and productive activities, although the men showed up for their

jobs, they were not enough, and some establishments had to close early, and in other cases,

such as banks or schools, they did not work, thus affecting the country's economy. March 9,

2020 generated an economic impact of 30 billion pesos.

On the other side, there were many people, specially women, who were in favor of

this strike, including me, and as many women I participat of it, because we hoped that some
change would be generated, for all the violence we have suffered, and because we hope it

stops. In 2017, Mexico was ranked second in femicide, but in 2019 took the first place;

according to statistics given by the Executive Secretariat of the National Public Health

System, only on January of 2020, 320 women were killed [ CITATION Rez20 \l 22538 ], wich

means, that in Mexico, 10 women are murdered per day. As the case I wrote at the begginig

about my friend, there are more cases of women, who are verbally abused, beaten, sexually

abused and, above all, women who are killed, and all this is not only in older women or

teenagers, also little girls are suffering this kind of violence; one in 10 feminicides in

Mexico is committed against a girl, such is the case of Fatima, who was killed at 8 years

old.

When I read and listen, about all of this cases, I asked to myself, Why?!. What is the

reason, of all this violence against us?!. How this can be stopped?!. And for me, it’s easy to

find a reason why, but I can't easily find a solution; that’s why I stood for the national

women strike in Mexico; because I want to walk on the streets without no fear, and to

know that if something happen to me, there will be justices; for me and for everyone.

Mexico is a country where those who must protect us turn their back on us, and where the

laws defend the abuser more than the victim; “according to the impunity index, the 99% of

the cases of violence, were not resolved and did not receive justice”. [ CITATION Jai20 \l

22538 ]

In The Family: a proclamation to the world we can read “ALL HUMAN BEINGS—

male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter

of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny.”, it’s not difficult

to understand that women and men are equal; It’s time to make a change in ourselves, and
ask to us Am I giving myself the value that I really deserve?, Am I valuing others as they

deserve?, we all need to change our mentality, because probably society won’t change, but,

it's up to us if we are part of it.

Source List:

Balmes, J. ( January 21, 2020 ). Mexico Evalua. Obtained from

https://www.mexicoevalua.org/2020/01/21/violencia-contra-la-mujer-los-datos-gritan-
denuncia/

Reza, A. (February 26, 2020). Milenio . Obtained from https://www.milenio.com/policia/en-enero-

de-2020-cada-dia-10-mujeres-fueron-asesinadas