Quintana Roo Moves to Outlaw Street Harassment

Quintana Roo, Mexico — Feminist collectives in Quintana Roo are preparing to present an initiative before the State Congress to classify harassment in public spaces as a criminal offense. The proposal, which will be presented to the XVIII Legislature, aims to penalize behaviors such as invasive catcalling, stalking, or unwanted touching, and to train the authorities who receive complaints.

Ariadne Song Anguas, president of the Colectivo Feminista Xtabay, stated that the plan is for this proposal to be presented to the XVIII Legislature within a period of two weeks, as the document has been in development for more than two years. The intention is for acts such as invasive catcalling, stalking, or unwanted touching in public streets to be sanctioned, as currently, this type of conduct is considered only an administrative offense, meaning aggressors only face fines or warnings.

In addition to the modifications to the Penal Code, the interviewee indicated that it will be necessary to train the public officials in charge of receiving complaints, as these are often dismissed by the authorities themselves.

“We are being harassed and stalked at all times. We are afraid to go out into the street and not return home safe and sound. If our president (Claudia Sheinbaum) can be touched, what awaits the rest of us ordinary women,” she said.

According to the Executive Secretariat of the National Public Security System, from January to September, the 9-1-1 emergency number received a total of 9,930 calls for sexual harassment or stalking against women, of which 326 corresponded to Quintana Roo.

Quintana Roo registers one of the highest rates of sexual harassment in the country. In fact, the state is among the 10 states with the highest incidence, with a rate of 15.5 reports per 100,000 inhabitants, a figure that doubles the national rate. The top five states are Colima, Chihuahua, Baja California, Sonora, and Baja California Sur.