Cruces Rosas: The Femicide in Ciudad Juárez

Abstract

This paper explores the contributing factors of the femicide in Ciudad Juárez, a city in Mexico just across the border from El Paso. This mass killing of women is an epidemic that has overtaken the city in the last two decades and has caused Ciudad Juárez to gain notoriety due to the high instances of violence and continued violation of women’s rights that occur within its borders. More specifically, this paper examines the contributing factors of NAFTA and the maquiladora industry present in Ciudad Juárez, as well as the increased independence of Mexican women and their challenging of traditional gender roles. It will also analyze factors specific to this community, such as the corruption of the police force and government, as well as the general impunity of men in Mexico. Finally, it will examine the ways in which the people of Ciudad Juárez are reacting to this wave of violence, namely through activism and other coping mechanisms.