They spend 6 more years in prison than men

Carolina Gomez Mena

Newspaper La Jornada
Sunday November 27, 2022, p. 8

Systematized machismo and violence prevail in the criminal justice system, according to the Diagnosis on the perception of the performance of criminal defense in Mexico. Currently, This problem translates into a sentence difference of six more years in the case of women.

The study by Reinserta and various law firms indicates that there are more women without a verdict than men: 35.8 percent against 14.2 percent. So women also suffer from structural violence when they face judicial processes.

In the context of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (which is commemorated every November 25) and the 16 days of activism against gender aggressions, the civil group reports that, in addition, 63 percent of women consulted in the analysis indicate that their lawyer did not verify that they had not been sexually abused at the time of the arrest.

Likewise, 77 percent reported that their defender did not confirm whether they were offered assistance or care for their children at the time of the arrest.

The foregoing shows the need to provide training and equip defenders with tools so that they perform with high standards in terms of gender perspective, influencing jurisdictional determinations, but also assuming said standards as part of their own performance.he explained.

Regarding maternity in prison and the conditions in which women and their children live, it was also found that Policies and initiatives are urgently needed to meet their needs to exercise full motherhood.

Some of the problems they face include the lack of exclusive spaces for women (in Mexico, more than 60 percent of them remain in misnamed mixed prisons); deficient health, security and custody services; lack of access to adequate food for them and their daughters and sons; processes of torture and physical violence in his detention. there is also lack of work activities, training and spaces for initial education.

In the meeting on the rights of women mothers in prison, the lawyer Harumy Ramos Elizalde indicated that 344 boys and girls live with their mothers in prison and them they sleep in the same bed and share food with their children.

Because there are no nurseries, women are not allowed to work, because there is no one to take care of the children, because they cannot be cared for by a custodian or by other colleagues.

Reinserta expressed that it condemns all forms of violence against women and urges authorities of all powers and levels to promote dialogue with civil society organizations to strengthen the gender agenda. We need root changeshe asserted.