Forced Displacement of Women from Aguililla, Michoacán to Tijuana, Baja California Due to Criminal Violence

Abstract

This research analyzes the forced internal displacement of women from Aguililla, Michoacan to Tijuana, Baja California due to criminal violence, particularly to the camp located in the El Chaparral gatehouse to request affirmative asylum in the United States. Through semi-structured interviews carried out with 12 women, their stories and strategies are analyzed and complemented with statistics on the demographic, economic, social, and violence conditions that prevail in the places of origin and destination. Results show that violence exerted by criminal groups has led to the reactive and preventive forced displacement of women from Aguililla to Tijuana, whose flows are mainly supported by religious, social, and family networks. However, immigration barriers in the United States and the lack of protection laws in Mexico increase their vulnerability and risks in Tijuana. This research contributes to recognizing the life stories of women in Mexico who have been displaced by criminal violence, although findings are not generalizable to the entire internally displaced population.