Mexico Shelters Activate Network with U.S. and Canada: 'The World Cup Ends, Violence Does Not'

As the World Cup kicks off, women's shelters across Mexico are establishing a coordinated network with counterparts in the United States and Canada. Their primary concern is the potential increase in violence against women during the tournament, a risk they feel is being sidelined in official strategies that prioritize the event's economic and tourism aspects.

Wendy Figueroa Morales, director general of the National Network of Shelters (RNR), stated, "The World Cup ends, but the violence does not." She explained that the initiative arose from observing a "weakness" in how all three North American countries are addressing the issue, contrasting it with the attention given to the tournament's financial gains. Figueroa emphasized that violence against women persists before, during, and after major events like the World Cup.

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The World Cup ends, but the violence does not.

The shelters are preparing for scenarios where women might face exploitation, disappear, or become stranded far from home, particularly in Mexico, where official figures and NGOs report over ten femicides daily. The network plans to offer safe and free transport for women back to their home countries.

While Mexico's federal strategy includes prevention campaigns and reporting mechanisms, Figueroa expressed skepticism about their effectiveness, especially given recent changes in the Secretariat of Women. She noted that despite the government's self-proclaimed "feminist" stance, women's issues often lack central placement in public policies that can survive institutional transitions. Unlike Canada and the U.S., where shelters have consistent funding, Mexican shelters operate with limited resources, relying on periodic allocations.

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But really making invisible that the violence against women is present before, during and after the World Cup.