The arrest of María Fernanda Turrent Hernández, also known as Mafer, has generated a profound impact and highlighted the vicarious violence that many women face when trying to escape abusive relationships. On January 22, 2025, Mafer was detained after appearing before the Justice Court of Mexico City in a hearing related to the alleged retention of her children. This occurred after she reported her ex-partner, identified as Édgar 'N', for various acts of domestic violence.
Mafer, originally from San Andrés Tuxtla, Veracruz, decided to separate from Édgar in September 2023, after years of extreme violence that included physical assaults and threats in her home. In a video shared on social media, Mafer expressed: 'I am Mafer Turrent, they want to send me to jail for protecting my children,' highlighting the complexity of her situation. Despite the adversities she faced, Mafer sought to protect her children, which allegedly triggered retaliation from her ex-partner, who retained them for three months.
Although she managed to recover her children, the complaint made against her ex-partner led Édgar to initiate multiple legal proceedings in order to obtain custody of the children and bring Mafer to justice. Ultimately, Mafer was detained and linked to a judicial process for the alleged retention of her children, despite her claim that her intention was to protect them from the domestic violence they suffered.
Mafer's case has sparked a wave of solidarity and protest, with several feminist groups raising their voices to demand her release and denouncing vicarious violence, a phenomenon in which aggressors use children as instruments of control and manipulation amid legal proceedings.
