Stop Violence Against Women
Demand Justice for the Women and Girls of Ciudad Juárez and Chihuahua,
México
Write A Letter to the Editor
The early May passage by the United States House and Senate of Concurrent
Resolutions on Juarez and Chihuahua was a great victory. Our next step is
to publicize this victory and to highlight the need for Mexican authorities
to take action. One way to do this is by submitting letters to the editor
to make sure to get the word out about this important action by the U.S.
Congress. (As this was a Concurrent Resolution, the President does not need
to sign.)
Below are talking points that you might use in drafting a letter to the editor of your local paper to highlight the recent passage of the Congressional Resolutions on Ciudad Juarez and Chihuahua. If your letter is published, consider faxing a copy of it to your elected officials to thank them, and also consider faxing one to the Mexican Embassy or Consulate near you to urge them to follow through on investigations and prosecutions for the murders and to protect the women and girls of Juarez and Chihuahua.
Talking points for a letter to the editor:
- Violence against women, whether it occurs in this country or elsewhere
in the world, is unacceptable.
- I am writing to applaud the U.S. Congress. It has shown leadership this
month by passing a unique resolution to help stop an epidemic of murders
and kidnappings of women and girls in the Mexican state of Chihuahua,
on the border of New Mexico and Texas. This resolution encourages authorities
in Mexico to bring perpetrators to justice.
- Amnesty International reports that more than 400 young women and girls
have been murdered in Ciudad Juarez and Chihuahua since 1993; at least
137 of those women suffered some form of sexual torture before being killed
(www.amnestyusa.org/juarez).
- Congress has now unanimously called on the Secretary of State and the
U.S. Ambassador to Mexico to take specific steps to ensure that addressing
these horrendous murders becomes a part of the U.S.-Mexico bilateral agenda.
This legislation reflects the broad sentiment of the US Congress and the
US people that these brutal attacks against women are unacceptable.
- In many of the murder and disappearance cases in Juarez and Chihuahua,
the investigations were either mishandled or not carried out at all. While
the appointment of a Special Federal Prosecutor for Ciudad Juarez was
an important first step, this alone has had very little impact.
- The United States Government, by passing its resolution, has called
on the Mexican Government to work harder to solve the crimes and bring
perpetrators to justice.
- It’s everyone’s responsibility to oppose violence against
women. I applaud our elected officials for working with the US Administration
to press the Mexican Government to bring justice and accountability to
those who have attacked women in Mexico.
- Name, City, State
