Personal Experience
A Privileged but Fearful Mexican Woman
I am a proud Mexican woman.
I have access to education. I can work. I can choose who to love. I can travel. I can dream.
But privilege in Mexico is fragile—because safety is not a right, it is a luxury. Freedom is not guaranteed, it is a risk. And while I carry privilege in some ways, I am still a woman in a country that sees me as disposable.
I have been raped twice—by men I never thought would harm me. I know what it feels like to have my body violated, my trust shattered, my voice silenced. I know what it means to seek justice in a system that was never meant to protect me. I know what it’s like to be betrayed not just by men, but by the very institutions meant to uphold the law.
I have gone to the police for help, only to be met with indifference, mockery, or worse—blame. In Mexico, a woman’s pain is often dismissed, her trauma turned against her. “What were you wearing?” “Why were you out alone?” “Are you sure it was rape?” Questions that strip away dignity, that place the weight of the crime on the victim, not the aggressor.
I live in fear every time I step outside alone. I hesitate before choosing an outfit, knowing that a simple decision could mean unwanted attention, harassment, or worse—becoming another statistic. Because in my country, dressing how I want is an act of bravery, and going out alone is an act of defiance.
But I am more than my fear. I am more than my trauma. I am a fighter. I am a woman who refuses to be silenced. I will not let my pain define me, but I will let it fuel me. I fight for my right to exist freely. I fight for my right to be safe. And I will fight for every woman who has been told to stay quiet, to endure, to accept injustice as a way of life.
Because I am Mexican, and Mexican women do not just survive—we resist.
This story is powerful, and the data that follows shows that it is far from alone…
Mexico’s Silent War Against Women
Mexico is one of the most dangerous countries in the world to be a woman. Every day, 10 women are murdered simply for being women. And yet, justice is rare. Impunity is the norm.
- Femicides: The numbers are staggering. 3,754 women were murdered in Mexico in 2023 alone. Many of them disappeared, only to be found in mass graves, abandoned lots, or never found at all. Most of their killers walk free.
- Corruption & Injustice: Women who report abuse or rape are often ignored, shamed, or revictimized. In many cases, the police, the prosecutors, even the judges protect the aggressors instead of the victims.
- Sexual Violence: 1 in 3 Mexican women has suffered sexual violence. Most never report it—because they know nothing will happen, or worse, they will be blamed for their own assault.
- Fear as a Way of Life: Women in Mexico grow up learning to be afraid. We share our live locations with friends. We carry keys between our fingers as weapons. We think twice before getting in a taxi, before going out alone, before trusting a stranger.
- Femicide & Machismo Culture: When a woman is killed, the media and authorities often search for a reason that makes her responsible for her own death. “She was drinking,” “She was out too late,” “She had a boyfriend.” As if existing outside the limits imposed by men is a crime.
- Limited Freedom: In theory, Mexican women can study, work, and pursue dreams. In practice, they do so while constantly watching over their shoulders, fearing that one wrong step could be their last.
But despite all of this, we are not silent. We march. We scream. We paint our pain on the walls of cities that try to erase us. We fight because we have no other choice.
Silence is not an option when survival is not guaranteed.
Mexican women deserve safety. We deserve freedom. We deserve to live, not just exist.
And until that happens, we will keep fighting. Because we are brave. Because we want to stay alive.