Peninsula | Gender-Based Violence in Mexico and the Role of the Media in its Coverage

Gender violence in Mexico occurs systematically, affecting women and girls of all ages. According to data from UN Women, an average of 10 women a day are violently murdered in Mexico. This situation was aggravated during the confinement caused by COVID-19, and in fact international institutions have described gender violence as the “shadow pandemic.” In this context, the role of the media is fundamental, since they are faced with the challenge of informing and doing so in an appropriate way: without sensationalism and without re-victimizing.

Speaker:
Karla Casillas Bermúdez is an independent investigative journalist currently working with the Mexican production company Mezcla. She is the head of research for the Ariel Award winning documentary The Three Deaths of Marisela Escobedo (Netflix 2020). She is also the investigative team leader for two more documentaries The Lady of Silence (2023) and The Darkness within La Luz del Mundo (2023). Both co-productions of Mezcla and Netflix.

Casillas has a special interest in changing narratives applying a gender perspective. Between 2020 and 2021, she was appointed coordinator for the Urgent Manual for the Coverage of Gender Violence and Femicide in Mexico. This project, led by United Nations Women, seeks to change the media narrative on violence against women and girls, as well as femicides. Previously, Casillas was the Madrid correspondent for El Financiero, she also coordinated the investigation unit at the Mexican newspaper El Universal and was the editor-in-chief of the ‘VICE News en Español’ bureau in Mexico City.

Schedule:
Doors open: 6:30 PM PT
Program: 7:00 PM—8:30 PM PT

This program is free to attend, and pre-registration is not required. Seating capacity is limited to 100, so please arrive early to ensure a seat.