The rape of Roxana Ruiz and her strangling and killing of the man who raped her has captured the imagination of much of Mexico. Now, prosecutors have withdrawn their case against her after massive protests from feminist groups amid the rising wave of violence against women in the country.

The withdrawal of the case was announced by Mexico City prosecutors last Saturday, just a few days after a Mexico State court sentenced Ruiz to six years in prison after finding her guilty of homicide with "excessive use of legitimate defense."

According to the Associated Press, the decision also ordered the raped Mexico woman to pay over $16,000 to the family of the man who raped her.

The Mexico State Prosecutor's Office stated that it examined the case and took into consideration the fact that Ruiz is part of a vulnerable group. They then found that she is "exempt from guilt" and added that they believe that she only acted in self-defense. However, this reversal only came after the massive protests against the decision already happened.

The Public Outcry in Mexico After Roxana Ruiz Conviction

The decision caused national outrage with massive protests happening around Mexico City, Feminists groups claimed that the ruling criminalized survivors of sexual violence and protected perpetrators in a country with an already-high number of gender-based violence and a rising number of femicides, the latter of which has grown exponentially during the administration of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

Business Insider pointed out that shortly after the decision, her supporters gathered outside the courtroom and chanted "Justice!" An emotional Roxana Ruiz also addressed them and thanked them for all their support.

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Following the decision, Ruiz, who is an Indigenous woman and single mother, stated at a news conference that she has already received death threats because of the case and admitted that she was worried for her family's safety, especially the life of her 4-year-old son.

As for the protests following the decision, protesters marched around Mexico City with signs reading "Defending my life isn't a crime."

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador also weighed in on the matter and said that he plans to pardon the convicted Mexico woman. However, before that could happen, prosecutors already dropped the case.

The Rape of Roxana Ruiz and Her Fighting Back

Many consider Roxana Ruiz, a Mixteca woman, to be an inspiration after standing up to the man who raped her during a time of rising violence against women in Mexico. 

According to Sportskeeda, the incident happened in May 2021. Ruiz was reportedly earning a living selling french fries in Nezahualcoyotl in Mexico State. She was having a beer with a friend after work when she met a man she had seen around town. That man reportedly offered to walk her home because it was already late and he lived in the same area.

Because it was already late at night, the man asked if he could stay the night at Ruiz's home, which she reluctantly agreed to. This was when the man attacked her and raped her.

Ruiz was reportedly unable to fend him off so she grabbed a T-shirt and strangled him, leading to her rapist's death. She was soon captured by police as she was seen by an officer while dragging the man's body. This led to her conviction which then led to massive protests.

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This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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