Killing of Ingrid Escamilla

Last updated
Killing of Ingrid Escamilla
Carteles de protesta por el feminicidio de Ingrid Escamilla 01.jpg
Signs protesting the murder of Ingrid Escamilla in Mexico City
Location Gustavo A. Madero, Mexico City, Mexico
Date9 February 2020 (2020-02-09)
Attack type
 Femicide
VictimIngrid Escamilla Vargas
PerpetratorErik Francisco Robledo Rosas
Verdict Guilty
Convictions Femicide
Trialc. 17 October, 2022
Sentence70 years in prison

On 9 February 2020, Ingrid Escamilla Vargas, a 25-year-old woman living in Gustavo A. Madero, Mexico City, was murdered by her boyfriend, Erik Francisco Robledo Rosas in an act of femicide. Robledo was convicted and sentenced to the maximum penalty of 70 years in prison. [1] [2]

Contents

The Mexican public was outraged by both the brutality with which the murder was perpetrated and by the subsequent spreading of images of the victim's body in the press and on social media. [3] [4] [5]

Background

Mexico has the second highest rate of femicides within Latin America, with an average of 10.5 femicides committed every day. Femicides are most prevalent in the states of Veracruz, State of Mexico, Nuevo León, Puebla, and Mexico City. [6] Of these crimes, 3% are criminally investigated and 1% of perpetrators are convicted. [7]

Ingrid Escamilla Vargas (born c. 1995) was a 25-year-old woman originally from Puebla. She received a master's degree in tourism business administration. [8] Her boyfriend was Erick Francisco Robledo Rosas, 46, who worked as a civil engineer. Both lived in a home in the Vallejo neighborhood of Gustavo A. Madero in the north of Mexico City and had been in a relationship for five years. Previously, the ex-wife of Robledo Rosas had filed a complaint against him alleging domestic violence. [9]

Murder

The crime against Ingrid Escamilla occurred after an argument in which Robledo Rosas went into a rage when questioned for drinking alcohol, which triggered a fight in which he received several slashes. Robledo Rosas stabbed Escamilla in the neck multiple times, killing her, then removed her skin and various organs which he then tried to flush down the toilet of his house. When he did not succeed, Robledo Rosas wrapped the remains in a green bag and left his home in order to discard it on the side of the street.

Robledo Rosas's son, who reportedly has autism, reportedly witnessed the murder. [10] Robledo Rosas called the child's mother, his ex-wife, to confess that he had killed his partner. The ex-wife called the police, who found Robledo Rosas next to the body of Escamilla. Robledo Rosas was arrested by police and consigned to a public ministry. Videos on social media showed Robledo Rosas under arrest in a patrol car with bloodied clothes and confessing to the crime in detail. [4]

Escamilla's body was handed over to her relatives on 10 February and buried on 11 February in the cemetery of the municipality of Juan Galindo, where the victim was originally from. Before being buried, Escamilla was given a lying in state in the municipal presidency of Juan Galindo, from where she was a collaborator. The funeral was attended by about 300 people who demanded justice. [11]

On 12 February 2020, a judge based in Mexico City found elements of guilt in the investigation provided by the Attorney General of Mexico City (FGJCDMX), for which Robledo Rosas was imprisoned preventively. After Robledo Rosas announced in his preliminary hearing that he would commit suicide, he was ordered to carry out a psychological assessment at the Men's Center for Psychosocial Rehabilitation of the South Preventive Prison for Men in Mexico City. [12]

Distribution of images

On 10 February 2020, the headlines of the sensationalist newspapers ¡Pásala! and La Prensa appeared with the note of the murder, also showing photographs of the victim's body as it was found by first responders to the scene, such as police officers and members of expert services. [13] Likewise, these images were disseminated on social networks such as Twitter and Facebook, which generated outrage and a debate about the role of the media in the normalization of violence against women, crediting the lack of a gendered perspective in the media and the structural and entrenched cultural norms in the media industry as driving factors. [14] According to experts, this social phenomenon distorted the prosecution of crimes and their qualification as femicides. [15]

The Mayor of Mexico City, Claudia Sheinbaum, announced that the distribution of the images would be sanctioned. In response, an internal investigation on six public servants who may have leaked the photographs of Escamilla was opened. The prosecutor of Mexico City, Ernestina Godoy Ramos, supported Sheinbaum and described the leak as an offense not only to the victim and her family but "to society." [16] She also announced the proposal for a specific law that punishes the distribution of images of crime victims by public officials. [17] Prior to this crime, there was a recommendation by the Commission of Human Rights of Mexico City to encourage authorities to respond to the leaking of images of the victims of a homicide in Colonia Narvarte. [18] The claim was supported by the Undersecretariat of Human Rights of Mexico City, part of the capital administration. [18]

On February 12, social media users on Twitter and Facebook began a campaign to upload photographs unrelated to the crime while mentioning the name of the victim in order to remove the leaked images from searches and preserve the victim's memory. [3] [19]

On February 14, the newspaper La Prensa published a letter on its front cover where it responded to the criticism. [20] Its director, Luis Carriles, indicated that the newspaper followed all the protocols in force about the treatment of femicides. [21]

Reactions

The Mayor of Mexico City Claudia Sheinbaum condemned the events and expressed her solidarity with the families of the victim. [22] [23]

The National Commission to Prevent and Eradicate Violence against Women in Mexico requested sanctions for those who distributed images of the body of Ingrid and requested that those who carry out work on these facts duly comply with the Ley General de Acceso de las Mujeres a una Vida Libre de Violencia General ("Law on Women's Access to a Life Free of Violence"). [24]

On February 14, demonstrations and protests were held in at least ten Mexican states in memory of Ingrid Escamilla. [25] In Mexico City, protesters went to the offices of the newspaper La Prensa to protest the publication of the victim's images. Some of them set fire to a vehicle owned by the newspaper. [26]

On February 16, feminist groups organized a march that reached the outskirts of Ingrid Escamilla's home, where they held a protest and placed an offering in memory of the victim. There, her relatives asked the media for respect and dignified treatment. "Every time they are going to publish a photo, when they are going to write a line, think, think about it a bit, make it a clean communication, one that is not yellow," said Victoria Barrios, Ingrid's aunt. [27]

Civil society organizations, activists and researchers published an open letter directed at the media against gender-based violence. "We express our total rejection of the exhibition of the bodies of victims in social media and online networks. In no case is it justifiable. The act of these newspapers in making photos and videos go viral is irresponsible, inhuman and revictimizes Ingrid and her family, in addition to perpetuating violence against women", the letter expressed. [28]

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights condemned the crime and the subsequent dissemination of photographs. [29]

The human rights organization Article 19 condemned the leak of the images "since they contravene the protocols of action in the investigation of femicides and international human rights standards. Therefore, these actions by FGJCDMX personnel are a violation of human rights of victims and women". [30]

The Archdiocese of Mexico called on the Mexican authorities to provide justice in this case and requested that the crime not go unpunished. [31]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Femicides in Ciudad Juárez</span> Murder of females in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico

More than 500 women were killed between 1993 and 2011 in Ciudad Juárez, a city in northern Mexico. The murders of women and girls received international attention primarily due to perceived government inaction in preventing the violence and bringing perpetrators to justice. A narcofosa containing the remains of women killed in 2011 and 2012 was found in Madera Municipality, Chihuahua, in December 2016.

Violence against women in Mexico includes different forms of gender-based violence. It may consist of emotional, physical, sexual, and/or mental abuse. The United Nations (UN) has rated Mexico as one of the most violent countries for women in the world. According to the National Institute of Statistics and Geography in Mexico (INEGI), 66.1 percent of all women ages 15 and older have experienced some kind of violence in their lives. Forty-nine percent have suffered from emotional violence; 29 percent have suffered from emotional-patrimonial violence or discrimination; 34 percent from physical violence; and 41.3 percent of women have suffered from sexual violence. Of the women who were assaulted in some form from 2015 to 2018, 93.7 percent did not seek help or report their attacks to authorities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ni una menos</span> Latin American feminist movement

Ni una menos is a Latin American fourth-wave grassroots feminist movement, which started in Argentina and has spread across several Latin American countries, that campaigns against gender-based violence. This mass mobilization comes as a response to various systemic issues that proliferate violence against women. In its official website, Ni una menos defines itself as a "collective scream against machista violence." The campaign was started by a collective of Argentine female artists, journalists and academics, and has grown into "a continental alliance of feminist forces". Social media was an essential factor in the propagation of the Ni Una Menos movement to other countries and regions. The movement regularly holds protests against femicides, but has also touched on topics such as gender roles, sexual harassment, gender pay gap, sexual objectification, legality of abortion, sex workers' rights and transgender rights.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NiUnaMenos (Peru)</span>

#NiUnaMenos is a Peruvian group against femicides and violence against women in the Andean country. The movement was formed in July 2016, and the march it staged in August 2016 has been characterized as the largest demonstration in Peruvian history

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Femicides in Peru</span>

Femicides in Peru are murders committed against women in Peru, a country in South America, which experiences high levels of violence against women. Between 2010 and 2017, 837 women were murdered and 1,172 murder attempts were made. Updated numbers between 2015 and 2021 showed and increase in femicides, with 897 women being killed in Peru during the period.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Claudia Sheinbaum</span> President of Mexico since 2024

Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo is a Mexican politician, scientist, and academic who in October 2024 became the 66th president of Mexico and the first woman to hold that office. She previously served as Head of Government of Mexico City.

Aleida Quintana Ordaz is a Mexican human rights activist trained as a social anthropologist. She was exiled to Spain due to the threats she experienced because of her activism.

This article lists events occurring in Mexico during 2020. 2020 is the "Year of Leona Vicario, Benemérita (Praiseworthy) Mother of the Fatherland". The article also lists the most important political leaders during the year at both federal and state levels and will include a brief year-end summary of major social and economic issues.

On 11 February 2020, Fátima Cecilia, a seven-year-old girl, disappeared, and four days later, on 15 February, was found dead in a garbage bag in a vacant lot in Tláhuac, Mexico City, Mexico with signs of physical violence and sexual abuse. The murder of Fátima has caused commotion in Mexico.

Guadalupe Campanur Tapia was an indigenous Mexican environmental rights activist. She was one of the indigenous leaders of Cherán who mobilize the population to defend he forest against illegal logging. In 2018, she was remembered by the UN Women.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Isabel Agatón Santander</span> Colombian poet, lawyer, writer and feminist

Isabel Agatón Santander is a Colombian poet, lawyer, writer and feminist. Promoter of the Rosa Elvira Cely Law which defines femicide as a crime in Colombia, she integrated the editorial commission of Law 1257 of 2008 about violence against women. She was a judge in the Tribunales de Conciencia de Justicia Para las Mujeres in Nicaragua (2015) and El Salvador in which they tried cases of sexual violence and femicide convened by the Red Feminista frente a la Violencia contra las Mujeres (REDFEM) and the Red contra Violencia of the respective countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vivir Quintana</span> Mexican singer and composer (born 1985)

Vivir Quintana is a Mexican singer and composer. Quintana penned the song "Canción sin miedo", or Song without Fear, which has become a feminist hymn against gendered violence and femicide.

<i>Glorieta de las mujeres que luchan</i> Anti-monument in Mexico City

On the afternoon of 25 September 2021, a group of anonymous feminists intervened in the Christopher Columbus roundabout on Paseo de la Reforma Avenue, Mexico City. On an empty plinth surrounded by protective fences, they installed a wooden antimonumenta, a guerrilla sculpture that calls for justice for the recurrent acts of violence against women in Mexico. It was originally called Antimonumenta Vivas Nos Queremos, subsequently known as Justicia, and depicts a purple woman holding her left arm raised and the word justice carved into a support on the back. Additionally, the Columbus roundabout was also symbolically renamed the Glorieta de las mujeres que luchan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Femicide in Latin America</span>

Femicide, broadly defined as the murder of a woman motivated by gender, is a prevalent issue in Latin America. In 2016, 14 of the top 25 nations with the highest global femicide rates were Latin American or Caribbean states. In 2021, 4,445 women were recorded victims of femicide in the region, translating to the gender-based murder of about one woman every two hours in Latin America.

<i>Antimonumenta</i> (Guadalajara) Anti-monument in Guadalajara

An antimonumenta was installed in the Plaza de Armas, in Guadalajara, Jalisco, on 25 November 2020, the date commemorating the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, during the annual march of women protesting against gender violence. The sculpture is symbolically named Antimonumenta and it was inspired by the anti-monument of the same name placed in Mexico City a year prior.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anti-monuments in Mexico</span> Politically-motivated art movement

In Mexico, antimonumentos (transl. anti-monument) are installed and traditionally placed during popular protests. They are installed to recall a tragic event or to maintain the claim for justice to which governments have failed to provide a satisfactory response in the eyes of the complainant. Many of these are erected for issues related to forced disappearances, massacres, femicides and other forms of violence against women, or any other act of violence.

<i>Antimonumenta</i> (Mexico City) Anti-monument in Mexico City

An antimonumenta was installed in front of the Palace of Fine Arts, in Mexico City on 8 March 2019, the date commemorating International Women's Day, during the annual march of women protesting against gender violence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Femicide in Mexico</span> Murders of women

Mexico has one of the world's highest femicide rates, with as many as 3% of murder victims being classified as femicides. In 2021, approximately 1,000 femicides took place, out of 34,000 total murder victims. Ciudad Juárez, in Chihuahua, has one of the highest rates of femicide within the country. As of 2023, Colima State in Mexico has the highest rate of femicide, with over 4 out of every 100,000 women were murdered because of their gender. Morelos state and Campeche state were the following in terms of highest rates of femicide by 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canción sin miedo</span> Feminist song by Vivir Quintana

"Canción sin miedo" is a regional Mexican song by Mexican composer and singer Vivir Quintana, first performed on March 7, 2020. It speaks of missing women, feminicides, and women's struggle for justice, and has become an anthem for feminist protests.

The National Citizen Observatory on Femicide of Mexico is a Mexican central entity of citizen participation focused on the exercise of the defense of human rights with a gender perspective. It has been a reference body for the accompaniment of victims of gender violence since 2007, it has also supported to review cases and requests for the declarations of Gender Violence Alert against women in Mexico.

References

  1. ↑ "¿Por qué el feminicidio de Ingrid "N" sacudió a México?" [Why Ingrid "N"'s feminicide shook Mexico?]. El Heraldo de México (in Spanish). 12 February 2020. Archived from the original on 13 February 2020. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  2. ↑ "Detienen a un hombre en Ciudad de México por caso de feminicidio de Ingrid Escamilla" [Detained man in Mexico City in case of Ingrid Escamilla's femicide] (in Spanish). CNN. 12 February 2020. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  3. 1 2 "La indignación en México por el brutal asesinato de Ingrid Escamilla y la difusión de las fotos de su cadáver" [Indignation in Mexico over the brutal murder of Ingrid Escamilla and the dissemination of photos of her body]. BBC Mundo (in Spanish). 11 February 2020. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  4. 1 2 "Esto es todo lo que se sabe del caso Ingrid Escamilla" [This is all that is known about the Ingrid Escamilla case]. Noticieros Televisa (in Spanish). 12 February 2020. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  5. ↑ "Mexico City Killing Sparks Fury Over Violence Against Women". The New York Times. 11 February 2020. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on 12 February 2020. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  6. ↑ "Suman 2,833 mujeres asesinadas en 2019; solo 726 se investigan como feminicidio" [There were 2,833 women killed in 2019; only 726 are investigated as femicide]. Animal Político (in Spanish). 25 November 2019. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  7. ↑ Barragán, Almudena (24 January 2020). "Seis balazos para silenciar a la testigo del feminicidio que cambió la Justicia en México" [Six shots to silence the witness of the femicide that changed justice in Mexico]. El País (in Spanish). ISSN   1134-6582 . Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  8. ↑ "Reina de belleza, amante de la naturaleza y solidaria, así era Ingrid Escamilla antes de ser desollada". Infobae (in Spanish). 12 February 2020. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  9. ↑ "Feminicida de Ingrid Escamilla tenía denuncia por violencia en contra" [Ingrid Escamilla feminicide had complaint about violence against]. Milenio. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  10. ↑ "Nuevos detalles del brutal femicidio de Ingrid Escamilla, la mujer que fue desollada y mutilada por su pareja" [New details of the brutal femicide of Ingrid Escamilla, the woman who was skinned and mutilated by her partner]. Clarín (in Spanish). 12 February 2020. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  11. ↑ "En medio de la indignación y el dolor, Ingrid fue sepultada en su pueblo natal" [In the midst of indignation and pain, Ingrid was buried in her hometown]. Infobae (in Spanish). 12 February 2020. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  12. ↑ "Presunto feminicida de Ingrid no está en un reclusorio, lo mandaron a rehabilitación" [Ingrid's alleged feminicide is not in a prison, he was sent to rehab]. El Heraldo de México (in Spanish). 12 February 2020. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  13. ↑ "Ingrid Escamilla: la fiscalía filtra fotos, la prensa las publica. Ambas, impunes" [Ingrid Escamilla: the prosecution leaks photos, the press publishes them. Both unpunished]. Lado B (in Spanish). 12 February 2020. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  14. ↑ Morales, Diana. "El caso de Ingrid revela omisiones y un mal manejo de los feminicidios: activistas y especialistas" [Ingrid's case reveals omissions and mismanagement of femicides: activists and specialists]. Periódico Central (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  15. ↑ "Incompetencia y misoginia afectan el registro de feminicidios en estados" [Incompetence and misogyny affect the registration of feminicides in states]. Animal Político (in Spanish). 11 February 2020. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  16. ↑ "Indigna a FGJCDMX filtración de imágenes de feminicidio: Ernestina Godoy" [Filtration of images of femicide is outrageous to FGJCDMX: Ernestina Godoy] (in Spanish). Attorney General of Mexico City. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  17. ↑ "Filtración de imágenes ofende a la sociedad: Ernestina Godoy" [Filtration of images offends society: Ernestina Godoy]. Excélsior (in Spanish). 12 February 2020. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  18. 1 2 "Hay filtraciones de feminicidios en CDMX porque no hay castigo" [There are feminicide leaks in CDMX because there is no punishment]. Animal Político (in Spanish). 11 February 2020. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  19. ↑ "Redes sociales se unen para dignificar el recuerdo de Ingrid Escamilla" [Social networks come together to dignify the memory of Ingrid Escamilla]. Sopitas (in Spanish). 12 February 2020. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  20. ↑ "Responde 'La Prensa' a críticas por difundir fotos de asesinato de Ingrid Escamilla" ['La Prensa' responds to criticism for spreading photos of Ingrid Escamilla's murder]. Aristegui Noticias (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 February 2020.
  21. ↑ "La Prensa se apegó a los protocolos sobre Ingrid, la historia que cuentan no la hicimos nosotros: director" [La Prensa adhered to the protocols about Ingrid, the story told was not made by us: director]. El Financiero (in Spanish). 15 February 2020. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
  22. ↑ "Ingrid Escamilla: Sheinbaum pide sanciones por filtración de fotos" [Ingrid Escamilla: Sheinbaum asks for sanctions for photo leaks]. El Universal (in Spanish). 12 February 2020. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  23. ↑ Guevara, Carlos. "Twitter reescribe la memoria de Ingrid con un homenaje digital" [Twitter rewrites Ingrid's memory with a digital tribute]. El Sol de México (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  24. ↑ Lara, Carlos. "Conavim pide sancionar a quienes filtraron imágenes de Ingrid" [Conavim asks to punish those who leaked images of Ingrid]. El Sol de México (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  25. ↑ "Alistan manifestaciones en todo el país por el feminicidio de Ingrid Escamilla" [Ready demonstrations throughout the country for the feminicide of Ingrid Escamilla]. ADN40 (in Spanish). 12 February 2020. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  26. ↑ "Feministas queman camión y "cachitos" de lotería afuera de La Prensa" [Feminists burn truck and "cachitos" of lottery outside La Prensa]. El Universal (in Spanish). 14 February 2020. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
  27. ↑ "'¡Medios, alto al amarillismo!' Familiares de Ingrid Escamilla piden respeto en su homenaje" ['Media, stop yellow journalism!' Family members of Ingrid Escamilla ask for respect in her honor]. El Financiero (in Spanish). 15 February 2020. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
  28. ↑ "Carta abierta contra la violencia de género" [Open letter against gender violence]. El Día Después (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  29. ↑ "ONU condena asesinato de Ingrid Escamilla" [UN condemns murder of Ingrid Escamilla]. Excélsior (in Spanish). 13 February 2020. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  30. ↑ "Ante el feminicidio de Ingrid Escamilla, la Fiscalía de la CDMX debe poner alto a las filtraciones" [Given the femicide of Ingrid Escamilla, the Prosecutor's Office of the CDMX must stop the leaks] (in Spanish). Article 19. 15 February 2020. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
  31. ↑ "Pide Iglesia que asesinatos de Ingrid y de Fátima no queden impunes" [Church asks that murders of Ingrid and Fatima not go unpunished]. El Universal (in Spanish). 17 February 2020. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.