On 16 February 2002, Valentina Rosendo Cantú, then aged 17, was victim of sexual assault, torture and deprivation of liberty, allegedly committed by Mexican soldiers. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights accepted the case. PBI has provided accompaniment to Valentina Rosendo Cantú and her daughter as a result of the attacks and threats the two have suffered.
PBI What do you hope to achieve by taking your case to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights?
Valentina Cantú Well, I hope a lot of things. First of all, I hope there is justice for the women who don’t speak Spanish well, and that those who are guilty of abusing those women are punished. In my community, I want there to be a school, or a centre that defends women – a place women can go to seek help if something like this happens to them. For me it was really hard to start seeking justice. (...)
Because of everything that has happened to me, sometimes I’m afraid and I just want to drop it all and have a peaceful life. But what’s the point of leaving it all now, after so many years? I also want the government to listen to me. Here in Mexico the government doesn’t do anything, that’s why I had to seek justice abroad. Lately, the government has had me under surveillance. A year ago they killed some colleagues who defended human rights in Ayutla (Raúl and Manuel), and that makes me afraid. But I keep fighting for my dead companions and those who are still alive. (...)
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