To Protect and Serve

PFP Today’s paper reports that a 48 year-old woman was sexually assaulted by the federal police last Thursday. She claims that as she was entering the Zócalo at Morelos and Macedonio Alcalá, a PFP (Policìa Federal Protectiva) stopped her. He said that he needed to search her. The woman thought that this was strange and asked why she would be searched, since she is obviously only carrying a folder with documents. He said that she could be concealing a slingshot and marbles. After this ridiculous accusation, he escorted her to the side. Two other officers approached as he tried to kiss her and touched her breasts, butt, and vagina (her words). She called out for help yet no one stopped. She told the reporter that she is not surprised that no one came to her rescue. She believes that the passers-by were scared to get beaten or detained. She wishes she had been beatened rather than sexually assaulted. During the attack she told the officers that her family members were on their way at any moment. The officers left her and stated, “Go ahead and tell Human Rights, we don’t care.” She reported the attack to The Mexican League for the Defense of Human Rights (LIMEDDH). They claim to have the incident on tape and audio.

This is an amazing yet unsurprising event. The assault happened in daylight, at three in the afternoon on Nov. 16. The Zócalo is a huge quad area surrounded by stores, banks, and restaurants. Thousands of people are around at any given time. I have passed through these checkpoints nearly everyday since the PFP began allowing pedestrians to enter. Occasionally, I see an officer search a person’s backpack. Mine has never been searched; I am certain this is because I am white. I tend to avoid the Zócalo at night; actually, I avoid most things at night. But this happened during the day, near a crowd of people, and in front of the Federal Police that were supposedly sent here to restore order and peace.

The woman is scared to come forward and file a criminal report because she fears for her life and the safety of her family. She does not have faith in the penal system and those that are paid to protect her have now violated her.

I could speak about the rape culture and machismo that exists in Mexico (and everywhere else), but I think this specific example brings to light a different issue in Oaxaca. The culture of fear and the struggle for power has made some into warriors and others into victims. Whether you support the APPO or not, the Oaxacan government is not in complete control here, and where they do have control, it is abusive and corrupt.

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