story | Lindsay Gebhart
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Women’s groups in Juarez are currently facing a double-edged crisis: Both the government and other women’s groups are targeting them in smear campaigns. Individuals are becoming defensive within women’s groups, and fund allocating is becoming a major problem.
“Fundraising has always been a problem,” says Victor Muñoz, co-director of the Coalition Against Violence for Women and Families on the Border.
“Many (women’s) groups are not registered. They don’t have to answer to anyone. (Organizations) would say, ‘Here’s our account number,’ but it would be a personal account.,” Muñoz says. “We need to know how the money is being spent, and they wouldn’t tell us.
“Pretty soon you get caught up in the whole family structure. ‘The kids need shoes to go to school,’ or ‘My car broke down.’ There’s been many rumors about Juarez organizations going to the United States on tours.”
The authorities have launched campaigns against women’s groups, including Casa Amiga, a rape crisis center in Juarez. In 2003, the state public prosecutor accused the organization Our Daughters Return Home (Nuestras Hijas de Regreso a Casa) of profiting from the grief of the mothers of the murdered women. Amnesty International listed government smear campaigns as one of the three biggest problems with the Juarez investigations.
Women’s groups have also targeted Casa Amiga and its director, Esther Chavez Caño, over the last six years. Chavez says they target her because they believe she gets paid for interviews with the media.
“My conscience is clear. They say I get a lot of money for interviews (with reporters), but it wouldn’t be ethical. I don’t get paid,” Chavez says.