The Second Assault

I. Summary......................................................................................................................................................

II. Selected Rape Victim Testimonies.....................................................................................................

III. Impunity for Sexual and Domestic Violence...............................................................................

Sexual and Domestic Violence: Underreported and Underrepresented in Government Crime Estimates

Inadequate Legal Framework for the Prevention and Punishment of Violence against Women

State Law and Policy on Domestic Violence...........................................................................

State Law and Policy on Sexual Violence..................................................................................

Lax Implementation of Legal Standards........................................................................................

Pervasive Distrust of Rape Victim Testimony.........................................................................

Other Barriers to Reporting Rape...............................................................................................

Undue Emphasis on Reconciliation and Mediation.............................................................

The Cost of Justice...........................................................................................................................

Lack of Public Services....................................................................................................................

IV. Abortion in Mexico............................................................................................................................

Legal Framework, Public Debate, and Occurrence.....................................................................

Prosecution for Illegal Abortions.....................................................................................................

V. Obstructing Access to Legal Abortion after Rape.....................................................................

States with No Administrative Guidelines for Abortion after Rape.....................................

Non-existing or Inaccurate Information on Legal Abortions...........................................

Denial that Cases of Unwanted Pregnancy after Rape Exist.............................................

Aversion to Facilitating Legal Abortion after Rape................................................................

Actively Discouraging Abortion after Rape..............................................................................

No Legal Abortion for Incest and "Estupro"........................................................................

Undue Delays.....................................................................................................................................

Intimidation in the Justice Sector.................................................................................................

States with Administrative or Legal Guidelines for Abortion after Rape............................

Unduly Complicated Procedures.................................................................................................

Illegal Delays.......................................................................................................................................

Lack of Information or Biased Information...........................................................................

"Covert" Provision of Abortion Services and Continued Stigmatization......................

Intimidation in the Health Sector.................................................................................................

Need for Accompaniment.............................................................................................................

Conscientious Objection by Medical Professionals...................................................................

Consequences of Limited Access to Abortion after Rape.......................................................

VI. International Legal Standards.........................................................................................................

International Law and Violence against Girls and Women in Mexico................................

International Law and Abortion after Rape or Incest...............................................................

U.N. Treaty Body Concern with Legal Obstacles to Abortion after Rape or Incest

U.N. Treaty Body Concern with Administrative Obstacles to Abortion after Rape or Incest

VII. Conclusion..........................................................................................................................................

VIII. Detailed Recommendations.........................................................................................................

To the Federal Government of Mexico:........................................................................................

To the President of Mexico:..........................................................................................................

To the Federal Congress:...............................................................................................................

To the National Health Ministry:.................................................................................................

To the National Ministry of the Interior:..................................................................................

To State Governments and the Government of the Federal District:.................................

To State Governors and the Head of Government for the Federal District:...............

To Local Congresses and the Legislative Assembly of the Federal District:................

To Health Ministries of the States and the Federal District:...............................................

To the Attorney General Offices of the States and the Federal District:.......................

To the Integrated Family Service Agencies (Sistema para el Desarrollo Integral de la Familia, DIF) of the states and the Federal District:..................................................................................................................

IX. Acknowledgments..............................................................................................................................