Mexico – For women in Mexico, each second outside home bears the threat of sexual offences and deaths. “I felt like I was dying”, said Nina Fuentes, a survivor of sexual violence and an international economics researcher. In 2022, 23-year-old Lidia Gabriela Gómez jumped from a moving taxi and died when the driver took an unexpected route. These incidents are growing exponentially in Mexico. In 2025, Mexico recorded 61,713 sex crimes, including 8,704 reports of sexual harassment, but many incidents go unreported due to stigma.

Even the Mexican President, Claudia Sheinbaum, couldn’t get rid of this. One intoxicated man groped her in public. During her speech to the Mexican citizens, the man tried to lean in for a kiss and touched her inappropriately. Women across Mexico are avoiding any male contact or even closure to unknown males outside their home. Nina Fuentes, who was repeatedly asked for her number and about her Valentine’s Day plan by a cab driver, stopped availing public transport and cab services entirely. She turned to AmorrAs, a self-managed feminist network which now offers women-only transportation the Mexico City and the suburbs. “I decided to create a safe space for women, one where they can live with dignity and free from violence,” 29-year-old Karina Alba, the founder of AmorrAs, said.

This organization provides cab services to over 2000 women annually with 20 women “ally” drivers. It was founded after the death of Debanhi Escobar, who was found dead days after leaving a taxi.

Around 24.2 million women in Mexico are salaried workers. An INEGI survey in 2022, discovered that 54% of the women, more than men, work in informal sectors without any security benefits. The women-only metro coaches also didn’t reduce the gender violence. Nejoi Meddeb, 30, always kept her hand on the door handle, ready to flee. Maria Jose Cabrera, 28, was once followed after leaving a minibus and sought refuge in a women-only subway car, and on another occasion was groped in a mixed car. These incidents continue.

In the face og growing crimes against women, there is indeed the need of more start-ups and organizations, government initiatives and law reforms to combat these issues. Within 31 states, only 16 states criminalise sexual harassment, according to source. While femicide is considered a crime across all Mexican states and in Mexico City. The Secretariat of Women, under Sheinbum, dejected the offenses against Mexican women. She said that it is “essential that men understand that these types of acts not only violate women but are also a crime.”

After the groping of the President Sheinbum, she called for a nationwide campaign and urged to come together “beyond politics … defending the integrity of Mexican women”. Despite these statements, lack of legal protections and law reforms is inflaming the crime rates and legal injustices towards women.