Mexico: 9.2% rise in gender violence during lockdown

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

ANKARA (AA) – At least 483 women were killed in Mexico in the first half of 2020, according to government data.

The latest data was released by North American country's Security Minister Alfonso Durazo on Monday at a news conference he addressed along with President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

The data shows an alarming 9.2% rise in fatal attacks against women as compared to last year during the same period.

Incidentally, the figures mostly belong to the period when people were indoors and practicing social distancing, due to the lockdown enforced by the coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic.

Homicides also showed an increase of 1.7%, from 17,653 in 2019 to 17,982, in 2020. The minister said the homicide cases decreased by 2.2% in June compared to previous months. Durazo called the drop in a third consecutive month "very high in absolute terms”.

A record steep homicide cases were recorded last year that included more than 34,600 murders, according to the latest data.

Durazo added that other crimes, including kidnappings and robbery, have also fallen during this period.

Mexico has been a target of gang wars for many years and homicide rates continue to rise even after Obrador assumed office in 2018. Mexican president prefers a clandestine war against the crime networks, refusing to declare an all-out war for fear of a potential increase in civilian casualties.