Sexual Violence and Torture Used to Obtain Confessions from Women

Mexican riot police keep watch over protesters from a teachers union as they take part in a march against President Enrique Peña Nieto's education reforms, in Mexico City on June 3. Mexican riot police keep watch over protesters from a teachers union as they take part in a march against President Enrique Peña Nieto's education reforms, in Mexico City on June 3. Edgard Garrido/Reuters

28 June 2016
Women are faced with sexual assault and violence to force “confessions.”

Amnesty International conducted an unprecedented investigation into the violence arrested women in Mexico face. The investigation included testimonies and data from 100 women arrested in Mexico that indicates rampant sexual violence and torture by police forces. These tactics are used to force confessions and boost figures that indicate a reduction of organized crime.

All 100 women interviewed indicated that they faced some form of sexual harassment or psychological abuse. 72 women reported being sexually abused during or closely following their arrests. 33 reported being raped. 66 women reported the abuse to the authorities, but only 22 investigative cases have been opened. The abuses include being beaten, electro-shocked, grouped, and more. Many of the women still remain in jail, despite being wrongly accused.

These women are accused and arrested on the grounds of their involvement in organized crime or drug related offenses. The forced confessions are an attempt by police forces to skew statistics to make it appear as if organized crime rates are falling. The violence against these women is being committed by municipal, state, and federal police, the Navy, and the Army.

 

To know more, read:

https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2016/06/mexico-sexual-violence-routinely-used-as-torture-to-secure-confessions-from-women/
http://europe.newsweek.com/mexico-sexual-violence-police-military-amnesty-475174?rm=eu
http://www.latina.com/lifestyle/our-issues/mexican-authorities-torturing-women-inmates-sexual-violence

Read 10019 times