Eureka Street, the Australian Jesuits’ online magazine, has an disturbing article this week about the increase in violence towards women in bordertown Juarez, Mexico as an indirect result of the North American Free Trade Agreement. 

Since the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was signed in 1994, Juarez has attracted over 3000 foreign-owned assembly plants which in turn have drawn an onslaught of migrants seeking work. But there has been no improvement of infrastructure to coincide with this population growth….

While the official body count of women since the introduction of the NAFTA is 400, local activist groups estimate more than 5000 have been killed, most of them factory workers aged 12–22. If their bodies are found, they typically show signs of torture and sexual brutality.

Check out the full story here.

Jim McDermott, S.J.

 

Jim McDermott writes about pop culture at jimmcdermott.substack.