For the interactive summary of this project, visit El Universal.
Shielded by the physical, political, and symbolic barriers that protect the activities of the armed forces in Mexico, the sexual violence perpetrated against women in the military is little known, widespread, systemic, and enjoys impunity.
Governed by the principles of obedience and subordination, the daily lives of many women in the Secretariat of National Defense take on oppressive overtones when they find themselves in situations where commanding officers and military superiors commit acts of sexual aggression against them.
Although there is a significant number of unreported cases, the official figures speak volumes: In the past 12 years, the Military Prosecutor's Office has opened 525 investigations into rape, harassment, sexual abuse, and assault. Yet, the conviction rate is exceedingly low: Only three out of every 100 cases result in justice for the victims.
This rate drops even further when it comes to high-ranking officers: None of the dozens of generals accused have been convicted. They are either acquitted, or their cases remain trapped in a judicial labyrinth and limbo for years.
This investigation documents the scope and depth of sexual violence within the Army, the impunity surrounding it, the justifications provided by military courts to absolve and excuse these crimes, and the harassment and intimidation faced by women who choose to come forward and file complaints, despite the numerous institutional obstacles.
A review of 50 investigations by the Army's Internal Control Body, two dozen legal case files, interviews with assaulted female soldiers, and complaints filed with the Office for the Attention of Harassment and Sexual Abuse (known in Spanish as HAS)—as revealed in emails leaked by the hacktivist group Guacamaya—paints a picture of an institution steeped in a culture of sexism that tolerates and conceals violence against the women within its ranks.
None of the women are safe in the barracks.
