Guanajuato ended July with the highest number of women killed in Mexico so far this year. Officials counted 224 victims from January through July, yet only seven cases were recognized as femicides. The gap exposes a recurring problem: most killings of women move forward as “homicide,” not as gender-based crimes, even when families point to prior threats or abusive partners. Advocates argue that the label is significant because it influences how police conduct investigations and how prosecutors construct a case. The numbers also suggest a heavier burden on families who must navigate a slow, uneven justice system.
The state once again tops the national list. From January through July 2025, authorities recorded 224 women killed in Guanajuato. Only seven of those cases were legally classified as femicides. Families say the distinction is not academic. It shapes the investigation, the charges, and the chances of seeing a conviction.
Guanajuato homicides of women
Mexico registered 1,276 women killed in the first seven months of 2025. Guanajuato alone accounts for 17.6% of that total. Baja California follows with 117 victims, and the State of Mexico with 107. The concentration is stark. Three states hold over a third of all cases.
Rates tell a second story. Guanajuato leads in raw numbers, but not in the rate per 100,000 women. Colima sits at the top of that ranking with a rate of 12.65; Guanajuato’s rate is 6.66. Rates shift the lens from totals to risk, and they remind us that smaller states can face intense violence.
Why so few cases count as femicide
Under federal law, feminicide applies when a woman is killed “for reasons of gender.” The statute lists signs such as sexual violence, prior threats, a relationship with the aggressor, or the public display of the body. The law has been updated in recent years, but its application still depends on how each case is constructed.
Here is where families often collide with the system. Classification practices vary by state. Committees and international monitors have warned that uneven definitions and poor case-building create blind spots. When a killing is logged as “homicide,” police may not trigger gender-specific protocols. Evidence goes uncollected. Leads go cold. The label can shape the outcome long before a judge hears the case.
What the numbers say about 2025
July was one of this year’s lower-count months for the state, with 23 women killed. The picture is still grim: most victims in Guanajuato were adults, with cases also involving girls and teenagers. Each figure is a family, a workplace, a community. Each requires careful work from investigators who face heavy caseloads.
Nationally, the bulk of killings of women are investigated as “homicide.” The official femicide count grows more slowly, even as public outrage rises. That gap does not mean the absence of gender motives. It reflects how cases are opened, what evidence is sought, and whether specialized units lead the work.
A family’s search becomes a public case
The names behind the numbers cut through the statistics. In León, the killing of 28-year-old Lorena Jaqueline drew national attention this summer. Her family urged authorities to review the video and the early warnings they claimed were ignored. The case underscored long-standing concerns, including late responses, overlooked evidence, and the emotional cost borne by relatives.
Stories like this are not outliers. They mirror the day-to-day frustrations of victims’ families in court corridors and forensic offices. The pressure to recognize gender motives often falls on them.
The wider violence that shapes Guanajuato
Guanajuato’s broader violence crisis has roots in organized crime and gun use. National peace indices link state-level spikes in lethal violence to those dynamics. That wider context does not explain away the gender lens, but it does set the stage for overworked police and prosecutors handling complex cases.
Reducing killings of women requires both tracks: better homicide prevention and stronger gender-based investigations. When prosecutors apply the femicide framework, they must document prior threats, control, or sexual violence. That work takes time, training, and stable teams.
Specialized training for first responders and prosecutors remains essential. Clearer statewide protocols can reduce the variability that families face. Transparent dashboards—by victim’s sex, age, municipality, and legal classification—help the public track progress and hold institutions to their own standards. The law is on the books. The task is a consistent application.
