Femicide and feminicide in Mexico: patterns and trends in indigenous and non-indigenous regions

Abstract

The killing of women in Mexico has attracted both national and international attention. Many of these homicides are regarded as feminicides, which are defined as the misogynistic killing of women for reasons of gender rooted in ideological and structural gender inequalities. This study examines changes and continuities in female homicides and femicides from 2001 to 2017 in indigenous and non-indigenous municipalities. Female homicides have increased at a higher rate than femicides, but the latter has increased at a higher rate in indigenous municipalities than in non-indigenous municipalities. This is associated with an increase in gender equality in a context of conflict and structural discrimination against indigenous peoples. Implications for future research and public interventions are discussed.