A coalition of Mexican academics, researchers, artists and politicians has created a new network to fight the growing tide of violence against women, which they say has only been exacerbated by stay-at-home measures due to the coronavirus. 

Called “Red Nosotras Tenemos Otros Datos,” or “We Have other Information Network,” it was officially launched on June 1 via a virtual press conference. Broadcast on Facebook Live, it has received over 31,000 views. 

(The organization’s name is taken from a phrase used frequently by President López Obrador to counter information that puts the government in a negative light.)

The group called on citizens to join them in their demand for transparency, equality and the participation of women in government decisions, cofounder Patricia Olamendi said. 

Their goal is to ensure that public policies exist that further the objective of achieving equality for women, especially on issues like health, employment and access to services where the gender gap is particularly pronounced, Olamendi explained. 

“We are going to ask (citizens) to request information, that the authorities present clear and transparent reports and are held accountable for how resources are used.”

Activist Beatriz Cosío explained that the government must adopt specific measures and programs that guarantee the investigation and statistical compilation of the causes, consequences and frequency of violence against women.

Cosió offered data obtained from the Ministry for Public Security that shows that violence against women increased during the first four months of the year with respect to the same period in 2019. This despite a statement by President López Obrador last month that 90% of emergency calls related to violence against women are fake. 

Of particular concern to Cosío is the gap between the number of calls for help relating to domestic violence and the number of cases under investigation. “It is important to know what course of action was given to the calls and whether they reached the corresponding authority,” she said.

But members of the network also emphasized that it is important to look at the people behind the numbers and to support victims, which is one of its core principles.

The network said that from now on it will be holding virtual press conferences on social media each Monday with information on violence against women, and will host a virtual cultural festival on June 6 called “We Have Other Information For a Life Free of Violence” where they will hear public testimony and share alerts and information on cases of violence against women across the country.

Source: El Universal (sp), Politico (sp)