Gendered Violence: An Analysis of the Maquiladora Murders

Abstract

This study analyzes the social construction of a wave of female homicides surrounding the maquiladora plants in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Specifically, it explores the social construction of the murders by three different groups, the news media, human rights organizations, and academic researchers. The research begins with a content analysis of 35 narratives from newspapers, human rights reports, and academic journals. Sixteen of these narratives discuss North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in relation with the violence in Juarez. Analysis indicates that gender issues are intertwined with the trade agreement and concludes that the policy has aided in the disruption of the social fabric of Mexican society.

A Border Context of Violence

“…Reports indicate that most of the victims were young female maquiladora employees who were sexually assaulted, tortured, and mutilated. This led to the designation of this femicide as the "maquiladora murders" (Pantaleo, 2010). Despite the extensive investigations by local, state, and national authorities, the murders continue causing widespread fear and outrage in this border community.…”

Degeneration of Society as an Apocalyptic Symptom: Gender-Driven Crime and Violence in Roberto Bolaño’s 2666

“…As such, the gender-driven violence in the city may be a negative reaction to the fact that women have been attaining independence and personal autonomy, while men seem to be losing ground. Pantaleo (2010) specifically identifies sociocultural attitudes towards gender roles as an influential factor in the nature of the crimes in Juárez. She classifies that in patriarchal Mexico, two expressions of gender status have been maintained in society: machismo, characterized by male aggression and power, and marianismo, characterized by domestic duties and subordination.…”

Revista completa

“…Si a esto añadimos la importancia de la industria maquiladora en la zona, en la cual trabajan fundamentalmente mujeres (Fernández de Juan, 2004), tenemos un escenario muy similar al que se vivió en la Inglaterra del siglo XVII con la industria textil. Así, algunas autoras apuntan al factor trabajo como fuente de victimización de la mujer, en un entorno en el que se están dando altas tasas de desempleo masculino (Pantaleo, 2010).…”