In a Mexico beset by violence, organized crime, government repression, death, kidnappings, and forced disappearances, some communities are getting organized and creating community police forces to defend themselves. In places where such groups are active, crime rates have dropped dramatically. Although most members of the community police are men, more women are gradually joining in and a few are now in leadership positions, such as Nestora Salgado, who has been imprisoned for over a year because she dared to denounce links between organized crime and the town president in Olinalá, Guerrero. This is not the first time Mexican women have taken up arms in defense of their families and communities. In the Mexican Revolution of 1910, thousands of women known as “Adelitas” and “soldaderas” fought alongside the men. Today, unpaid men and women are chosen in assemblies to take charge of peace, security and justice in their communities. Women’s participation has been welcomed by some of their male counterparts who see them as equals and opposed by others who maintain sexist attitudes. Nevertheless, they now patrol towns, rural areas and forests along with the men as full-fledged members of the community police forces. teleSUR
