Did they deserve to die?

In recent weeks, several women have been murdered in Mexico under different circumstances. Yet the only constant factor, unfortunately, has been the sexist reaction of some authorities and people on social networks who blame the victims for their own death.

Kenni, 26, was a Venezuelan escort who was brutally murdered less than a month ago. An article published yesterday in this newspaper details how Brayan Mauricio Martínez, member of the Tepito Union gang, threatened to kill her four months before her death. Kenni made a video showing the beating she suffered at his hands. Moreover, she also recorded an audio in which she accused the criminal of being the killer of another escort named Karen.

The first to dismiss the claims of both women were the authorities of the State of Mexico and Mexico City, as the journalistic investigation revelated that any cop with access to social networks would have been able to find out: Martínez had threatened both young women. Did the authorities fail to care because the women were escorts? Did they assume that, because of their job, their lives mattered less? Or like some people said on social networks, did the women deserved to die because of their relationship with the criminal who ended up murdering them?

When a woman doesn't behave as “she should,” a portion of the population strips her humanity away from her. People blame the victim for the crime .

The most upvoted comment on the article about the woman murdered by her partner in Reforma 222 – an ex-convict – was: “Be careful who you fall in love with...The guy had a criminal record and had served time, and yet you still marry him and have children with him?”

That is, for many people, she is to blame for the tragedy that befell her. They are more incensed by the behavior of the woman rather than the criminal act of the man.

Worse is the case of Grecia and Nefertiti, two teenagers aged 14 and 16, respectively, who were accused by the Ángel Yunes administration, in Veracruz, of being members of a criminal gang because they had tattoos and had dropped out of school. Their bodies lay on the pavement after being taken down by local police officers. They had been guilty in the eyes of the Governor and the State Attorney because they were women who didn't match the concept of what women should behave like.

How many women more will have to be killed before we realize no one deserves to die because of the way they act, speak, dress, think, or love?

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