The Hidalgo state government Website lists three entities that deal with issues of domestic violence: the Attorney General for the Defence of Minors and the Family (Procuraduria de la Defensa del Menor y la Familia) (n.d.a), the Hidalgo chapter of the System for Integral Family Development (Sistema de Desarrollo Integral de la Familia, DIF) (n.d.b), and the Attorney General for Justice (Procuraduria General de Justicia) (n.d.c). The first entity provides legal assistance to victims of low-income households in order to maintain family integration, safeguard vulnerable family members, and/or solve a legal problem (Hidalgo n.d.a). The Hidalgo branch of the DIF handles legal representation for court proceedings in all cases where the security and integrity of the family is compromised (ibid. n.d.b).

Within the office Attorney General for Justice, the Assistance Unit for Victims of Sexual Abuse and Domestic Violence (Atencion a Victimas de Abuso Sexual y Violencia Intrafamiliar) of the Directorate for Victim Assistance (Direccion de Atencion a Victimas) was created to provide integral support to all victims of sexual abuse and domestic violence (ibid. n.d.d). To this end, the work of the Assistance Unit for Victims of Sexual Abuse and Domestic Violence is coordinated in conjunction with the following authorities: legal, medical, psychological, social work, and the Public Ministry's (Ministerio Publico) special unit for sexual crimes against minors and the family (ibid.). Moreover, although the victim may file a complaint for past or present abuse, he or she must present his or her complaint in person to the office of Assistance Unit for Victims of Sexual Abuse and Domestic Violence located at Vicente Segura No. 203, Col. C.P., Pachuca de Soto, Hidalgo (ibid.).

According to a November 2002 news release, the government of Hidalgo inaugurated a telephone support line for women called Tel Mujer 075 (ibid. 25 Nov. 2002). While details about Tel Mujer services were not outlined, the article stated that this telephone service would be accessible in seven municipalities, namely: Pachuca, Omitlan, Epazoyucan, Huasco de Ocampo, Mineral de la Reforma, Mineral del Monte, and Mineral del Chico (ibid.).

With regard to Mexico City, in addition to the information on recourse and protection for victims of domestic violence found in the March 2003 Research Directorate Issue Paper entitled Mexico: Domestic Violence and Other Issues Related to the Status of Women, a 10 May 2003 article in La Jornada noted that the DIF was the national organization that deals with domestic violence cases. According to Sonia Delgado Gomez, the Coordinator of the Attorney General for the Defence of Minors and the Family (Procuraduria de la Defensa del Menor y la Familia) of the DIF, this institution offers the necessary legal assistance, as well as psychological treatment for women affected by violence (La Jornada 10 May 2003).

Please refer to Country Reports 2002 (Section 5, under "Women") for more information about domestic violence in Mexico.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Hidalgo. 25 November 2002. "El Gobernador Nunez Soto puso en marcha el Servicio Telefonico Telmujer 075; opera en siete munipios." http://www.hidalgo.gob.mx/noticias/noticia.asp?noticiaID=2039&entidadID=1 [Accessed 10 Sept. 2003]

____. n.d.a. "Procuraduria de la Defensa del Menor y la Familia." http://www.hidalgo.gob.mx/gobierno/entidades/entidad.asp?entidadID=75 [Accessed 10 Sept. 2003]

____. n.d.b. "Representacion Legal para Tramitar Juicios en Materia Familiar." http://www.hidalgo.gob.mx/gobierno/entidades/tramite.asp?tramiteID=2337&entidadID=75 [Accessed 10 Sept. 2003]

____. n.d.c. "Entidades." http://www.hidalgo.gob.mx/gobierno/entidades/ [Accessed 11 Sept. 2003]

____. n.d.d. "Direccion de Atencion a Victimas." http://www.hidalgo.gob.mx/gobierno/entidades/tramite.asp?tramiteID=2544&entidadID=170 [Accessed 10 Sept. 2003]

La Jornada [Mexico City]. 10 May 2003. "El DIF Nacional atiende casos de violencia familiar." http://www.dif.gob.mx/dif/prensa/noticias/2003/mayo/12052003a.html [Accessed 4 Sept. 2003]

IRB databases

World News Connection/Dialog

Internet sites:

Comite de America Latina y el Caribe para la Defensa de los Derechos de la Mujer (CLADEM)

Comunicacion e Informacion de la Mujer, A.C. (CIMAC)

Isis Internacional

Mujeres Hoy

Reforma [Mexico City]

Sintesis [Pachuca de Soto]

El Sol de Hidalgo [Pachuca de Soto]

El Universal [Mexico City]

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