Context:

Valeria Márquez, a 23-year-old TikTok influencer, was tragically shot and killed while livestreaming from a beauty salon in Jalisco, Mexico. The attack, carried out by two unidentified men, highlights the alarming rise in femicide and violence against women in Mexico, where such crimes often go unpunished. Despite numerous laws aimed at combating gender-based violence, Mexico continues to grapple with one of the highest rates of femicide globally, fueled by ingrained sexism and a culture of machismo. The investigation into Márquez's murder, being treated as a possible femicide, is ongoing, with authorities examining surveillance footage and her social media for leads. The incident follows another high-profile killing of a female political candidate, emphasizing the pervasive and indiscriminate nature of violence against women in the country.

Dive Deeper:

• Valeria Márquez was shot while livestreaming on TikTok from a salon in Zapopan, Jalisco, by a masked man who confirmed her identity before attacking her. Her murder was witnessed by her online followers and captured in a video that spread online.

• Authorities are investigating the murder as a potential femicide, a prevalent form of gender-based violence in Mexico, where women are often targeted and such crimes frequently go unpunished.

• The killing of Márquez is part of a broader trend of increasing violence against women in Mexico, where femicide rates have been climbing for nearly a decade, with around 10 to 11 women murdered daily.

• In recent years, despite the implementation of local and federal laws to combat gender-based violence, Mexico remains one of the countries with the highest femicide rates due to persistent machismo culture and institutional resistance to addressing these issues.

• The attack on Márquez is reminiscent of the recent murder of Yesenia Lara Gutiérrez, a political candidate, during a livestreamed campaign event, underscoring the indiscriminate nature of such violence regardless of socioeconomic status or public visibility.

• Sociologist Paulina García-Del Moral notes that the violence stems from a deeply rooted sense of entitlement among men in Mexico and across Latin America, which resists change and perpetuates the cycle of violence.

• The lack of effective investigation and accountability in cases of femicide often results in victim-blaming, with authorities focusing on stereotypes rather than addressing systemic issues, further exacerbating the climate of impunity.