Silence

Silence says more than words at times.

Yesterday, in Mexico, history was made as we women were silent. It was a day without women. We didn't go out of our house, we weren't on social media, we didn't go to the gym, we didn't make any purchases, we didn't work or bring kids to school.

We didn't exist for a day.

We showed up by not showing up. It was a day of unity with women across the country saying we are tired of not feeling safe. We are tired of not being respected. To this day, Mexico has been a very traditional macho country. It's normal to hear derogatory jokes about women. It's common to go for a run and get whistled at or bothered by the construction workers on the corner. It's rare to find a friend who hasn't been grabbed, cornered or worse attacked by a man while simply living our lives here.

And it's terrifying for me. It's terrifying even more knowing that I'm raising a daughter in a place where men get away with murder, literally.

The stats speak for themselves.

10 women are killed every day.

1 girl between 0-17 years old is killed every day.

57% of women are killed by their partners.

99% of rape cases go unpunished.

7,654 missing women in 2019.

Yesterday, the women in Mexico made history. We didn't exist. We were silent.

May today and our tomorrows be marked by an evident change. May we know we can walk the streets without fear. May we know that we can raise daughters who will be respected.

May women always have a voice.