In Mexico, most crimes go unreported. The reasons are numerous: fear, distrust of the authorities, lack of knowledge about the process, revictimization, lack of support, or negative past experiences.
It is estimated that around 33.5 million crimes occurred in the country during 2024, according to the National Survey of Victimization and Public Safety Perception (ENVIPE) by the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI). However, the organization Impunity Zero highlights that, of every 100 crimes committed, only 6.4 are reported. Meanwhile, of every 100 reported crimes, only 14 are solved.
Experts believe that the defense and protection of victims in the country should be a top priority for the federal government. Although Mexican law provides a legal framework and a set of institutions designed to assist victims, citizens do not always know how to access them.
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What to do in the first hours after a crime?
“When a person becomes a victim of a crime, the first thing they should do is take cover, move away from the danger zone, and, once they feel safe and calm, seek help from the authorities,” explains Lisandro Morales, a law professor at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), in an interview.
Although each situation changes depending on the crime the victim faced, in most cases it is advisable not to alter the crime scene: do not move or clean the surrounding items. “In the case of sexual assault, the victim should not bathe or change clothes, even if they are dirty or torn, since the authorities will conduct a medical evaluation to file a report,” the lawyer exemplifies.
When reporting a crime to the authorities, they will request evidence of what happened. Therefore, Lisandro Morales recommends storing the evidence (objects, clothing, even food) in a manila envelope to prevent any alteration.
“Another important action victims can take is to record a voice note of the events. This should answer the basic questions of how and when, and will serve to narrate what happened to the Public Prosecutor’s Office,” the lawyer adds.
In order to address these situations, the Mexican government has established telephone numbers so that, in the event of an emergency, the assistance of authorities is prompt and effective. These include 911, which handles general emergencies, and 088, which connects directly to the Federal Police.
A crime report is filed with the Public Prosecutor’s Office—the authority responsible for investigating the facts—which has various units within its structure, including specialized prosecutor’s offices that focus on specific types of crimes, such as electoral crimes and disappearances.
When filing a report, the person must go to the appropriate authority according to the state in which they reside and the type of crime they were a victim of—state or federal.
For example, if the victim lives in Mexico City, they can file a report at any Public Prosecutor’s Office, which are directly connected to the Mexico City Attorney General’s Office (FGJCDMX). However, if they live in another state, they will have to go to the corresponding state prosecutor’s office.
To report state crimes such as robbery, fraud, assault, and homicide, the victim must go to the State Attorney General’s Office or the state prosecutor’s office. Meanwhile, crimes such as drug trafficking and organized crime—considered federal offenses—are reported to delegations or offices of the Attorney General’s Office (FGR).
To promote a culture of reporting crimes in Mexico, anonymous and online reporting options were created. If the report is made online, the victim must provide their name, address, telephone number, and email address. If they go in person, they must present an official photo ID.
On the other hand, if the report is anonymous, the victim only needs to describe the details of the events. It is not necessary to provide their name or contact information; they can even file a report through the 089 telephone hotline or on websites that guarantee anonymity.
“In all types of reports, it is important to describe what happened in as much detail as possible: when, where, who, and what happened. The victim should also specify the date and time of the incident or if a bladed weapon was used,” explains Lisandro Morales.
But there are also cases in which the Public Prosecutor’s Office refuses to open an investigation. To facilitate the reporting of these irregularities, Impunity Zero provides citizens with a directory that compiles the contact information for the internal affairs offices of each prosecutor’s office in Mexico and the State Human Rights Commission in each state.
These internal affairs offices are the internal bodies of each prosecutor’s office responsible for monitoring, receiving complaints, and sanctioning the actions of officials working in institutions such as the Public Prosecutor’s Office, explains Claudia Morales, coordinator of Impunity Zero, adding that “they are very useful because they regulate agents in relation to the authorities.”
Article 7 of the Federal Penal Code defines a crime as any action or inaction that is prohibited and punished by Mexican criminal law. Consequently, the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) considers as a victim any individual or group that has suffered harm as a result of a crime or a human rights violation.
To protect the safety, integrity, and exercise of victims’ rights, the federal government published the General Law on Victims in the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF) on January 9, 2013.
“At the time, this law was very groundbreaking in terms of providing support during the complaint process and was complemented by the National Code of Criminal Procedure, which incorporated and developed a series of rights for victims in its Article 108: victim or injured party,” recalls Leslie Jiménez, a criminal lawyer, in an interview.
Driven by the crisis of violence in the country and the social movement demanding recognition of victims, this law emphasizes that reparations are not only financial, but also include restitution measures, creates the Executive Commission for Victim Assistance (CEAV), and guarantees free access to a lawyer from the moment a complaint is filed.
Thanks to this law, the Mexican State has the responsibility to provide practical resources such as free consultations, psychological support, legal assistance, and emergency hotlines for victims.
However, Claudia Morales points out, “the authorities should focus on safeguarding reparations for victims, prioritizing legal counsel and psycho-emotional support, in addition to preserving the budget allocated to the CEAV (Executive Commission for Attention to Victims).”
“Although these laws exist, in practice they are not frequently invoked; when people go to report a crime, it is not common for them to be told that the General Law on Victims protects them. It has existed for years and is little known by both service providers and victims,” Leslie Jiménez emphasizes.
The Importance of Reporting Crimes to Seek Justice
Leslie Jiménez, Lisandro Morales, and Claudia Morales agree that the reporting system in Mexico exists, but it is not effective. Factors such as low citizen participation, the overwhelming workload of investigating authorities, insufficient staff, and inadequate training with a human rights focus hinder this process.
They emphasize that, although significant steps have been taken to promote a culture of reporting, such as the online reporting system, the in-person process remains very slow, and authorities even lack the resources to conduct investigations. Despite this, they urge citizens to report crimes if they have been or are currently victims of a crime.
“No one is going to prosecute a crime they don’t know about,” says Lisandro Morales. “Beyond how effective the justice system is in the country, not reporting means fostering impunity and, in a way, becoming complicit.”
Claudia Morales asserts that reporting crimes has two major effects, in addition to justice for the victim: the detection of patterns in crime to generate prevention policies, and the identification of the public prosecutor’s offices with the highest crime rates so that these agencies can be allocated more funding.
“Reporting crimes is important because it not only empowers victims to take control of what happened to them, but it also contributes to national statistics. It is advisable to do so to encourage action, combat the ‘dark figure’ of impunity, and, in cases where the accused is located, ensure that the victim has access to justice and reparations,” concludes criminal lawyer Leslie Jiménez.
Source: animalpolitico
