Killing of a second Latin American influencer sparks criticism of authorities for failing to protect women

The murder of a 22-year-old model, university student and social media influencer has stirred outrage in Colombia.   María José Estupiñán was shot and killed outside her home in Cúcuta, Colombia, on May 15.     Women’s rights advocates and public officials have criticized Colombian authorities for failing to protect Estupiñán, highlighting systemic negligence in cases of violence against women.   The assailant, disguised as a delivery man, approached her residence in the morning and shot her at point-blank range when she answered the door.   Security footage , shared widely across social media, shows a man running away after allegedly shooting Estupiñan, who can be heard screaming in pain. Estupiñán had previously reported her ex-partner for domestic violence and had recently won a court case against him. Just a day before the shooting, a judge ordered her ex-boyfriend to pay her 30 million Colombian pesos (around $10,000) in damages for a longstanding domestic violence complaint. He is the prime suspect in the case. Estupiñán was a well-known model and influencer, with nearly 45,000 followers on TikTok and a strong presence on other platforms. Her public persona as a young, enterprising woman brought her visibility and recognition in Colombia and beyond.   Violence against women with public profiles is a growing concern in Latin America. Her murder has fuelled public outrage and drawn national and international attention to her case.   Estupiñán’s killing came just days after the murder of another Latin American influencer, Valeria Márquez of Mexico. Both murders have highlighted the heightened risks faced by women with public platforms, and sparked broader conversations about femicide and the dangers of being a public-facing woman in the region.   The attacks were captured or witnessed in real-time (Estupiñán’s on security footage, Márquez’s during a livestream), amplifying public outrage and media coverage.   Each was murdered in a targeted attack involving an assailant posing as a delivery person or bringing a suspicious package. Both killings are being investigated as potential femicides.   In 2015, Colombia criminalized femicide through Law 1761, establishing it as a specific crime to ensure gender-based killings are investigated and punished appropriately. The government has committed to creating national mechanisms for coordination, and implementing comprehensive approaches to prevention, protection and eradication of gender violence.   Additional laws, such as Law 2126 of 2021, aim to improve the capacity of Family Commissioners, who are central to responding to domestic violence and femicide cases.   The legal system has been urged to strengthen trauma- and victim-based approaches in the investigation and prosecution of femicide and domestic violence. Specialized training for family judges on gender-based violence has been mandated, and forensic protocols have been updated to better identify and document femicide cases.     The government has accepted international recommendations to enhance legislative, administrative and institutional frameworks and to improve data collection and victim support services.   Despite these measures, however, femicide rates remain high and have shown little improvement. In 2022, there were 619 femicides. In 2023, the rate dropped by only 0.47 per cent.

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