Mexico City to open DNA profile center in a landmark move against violent crime

MEXICO. Mexico City: In a historic move, the capital city's government announced on Tuesday that they are opening a facility that will house both the genetic and location information of registered sex offenders in an attempt to speed along investigations and curb violent crime against women. The facility is expected to be fully operational by August.

The timely arrival of this anti-violence initiative is crucial. According to one report, March of this year holds the distinction of being the most violent month for women in Mexico in the past six years. 

A critical role in crime prevention

In addition to housing the genetic profiles of those convicted of crimes like femicide or rape, the revolutionary new facility will also contain the DNA information of public officials, police, and others whose job descriptions or titles present security concerns.

The information warehouse will play a pivotal role in not only tracking first-time and repeat offenders but it will also serve as a deterrent for those whose jobs have, until this point, put them beyond the reach of justice.

Understanding the impact of culture on violence

Mexico is a nation where more than 10 women and girls are murdered every day. With one of the highest rates of violent crime in Latin America, it's important to understand how structured brutality has, historically, been condoned by the majority of its population. According to a Harvard University article released in 2020, girls as young as three and women as old as 74 are frequently abused and killed by men close to them. In the next ten minutes, approximately three women in Mexico will have been a victim of abuse.

Women are often discouraged from engaging in public protests, taking on roles outside the home, or even reporting domestic violence incidents. This has its origin in colonial-era-based cultural mechanisms that persist to this day, which dictates that women must remain subservient to men because they are superior. 

While Mexico has made considerable strides toward gender equality in recent years, the dregs of machismo mentality are heavily embedded within its cultural landscape, making progress toward ending violence against women and girls an ongoing battle.