Extortion, (Trans)Femicide, and Trans Sex Work in a (Post)Pandemic Context: Alternatives for Reparation in the Case of Jéssica Martínez

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic worsened the material living conditions of trans women in Ecuador, especially sex workers. Among them are: the increase of pimping, extortion, forced sale of drugs, payment of vaccines to organized crime that has taken corners, squares, neighborhoods and bodies of trans women, reaching the peak of violence: (trans)femicide. The text provides data on the increase of intentional homicides and their relationship with the increase of violent deaths of trans women and LGBTIQ+ people. Finally, the (trans)feminicide of Jéssica Martínez, a trans sex worker activist, is taken as a case study to reveal the secondary victimization and the lack of due diligence in criminal investigations in these cases; as well as to propose alternatives for her fellow sex workers to imagine a collective reparation.