Media Scope Group was commissioned by a Mexican organization to conduct a landmark study on the social and economic ramifications of gender-based violence (GBV) and violence against LGBTQ+ individuals. The objective was twofold: to provide a granular understanding of the current landscape and to equip the client with robust, data-backed policy recommendations for Mexican regulators.
Media Scope Group leveraged a hybrid approach – combining a massive survey, Big Data Polling, proprietary methodologies, and third-party datasets – to deliver a holistic overview of the issue, quantifying its economic toll across all 31 states and Mexico City, and the overall Mexican economy. The findings have since become a foundation for the client’s advocacy efforts for short-term interventions and long-term structural reforms.
The challenge
Violence against women and LGBTQ+ individuals in Mexico still represents a serious issue with far-reaching economic consequences. However, policymakers often lack the granular, state-level data necessary to craft effective, targeted interventions. The client faced a critical gap: they needed to move beyond anecdotal evidence to present regulators with irrefutable economic and social data that would justify urgent policy shifts and resource allocation.
The challenge required:
- Scale: Capturing a representative sample across diverse geographic regions (31 states + Mexico City).
- Depth: Moving beyond incidence rates to calculate the specific economic costs (including lost productivity, healthcare burdens), and erosion of trust in institutions.
- Actionability: Translating complex data into clear policy proposals and investment priorities.
The approach
Media Scope Group deployed a proprietary, multi-source research framework to ensure the highest level of accuracy and depth.
Large-scale primary research
We executed a comprehensive survey reaching 103,000 respondents across 31 states and Mexico City. This dataset provided a statistically significant baseline for understanding the prevalence and nature of violence experienced by different demographics.
Big Data Polling and analysis of social media data
Complementing the survey, Media Scope Group utilized its Big Data Polling solution. We aggregated and analyzed publicly available social media data to capture real-time sentiment, emerging trends, and underreported incidents that traditional surveys might miss. This layer added a dynamic, temporal dimension to the static survey data.
First-party and third-party data integration
The project integrated specialized first-party data provided by the client and third-party data, allowing for cross-validation and a richer contextual understanding of specific institutional and regional variables.
Economic modeling
Using our in-house analytical methodologies, we synthesized these three data streams to build a predictive economic model. This model calculated:
- Current economic losses: The annual GDP impact per state and nationally.
- 5-year forecast: Projected economic trajectories if current trends continue versus scenarios with intervention.
- Institutional impact: An assessment of how violence erodes trust in Mexican institutions and businesses.
Key findings
The analysis revealed that the cost of inaction is not just social, but devastatingly economic.
- State-level disparities: The economic burden varies significantly across Mexico, with certain states facing disproportionate losses due to higher incidence rates and weaker support infrastructures.
- National economic drag: The study quantified the total annual loss to the Mexican economy, demonstrating that GBV and anti-LGBTQ+ violence act as a significant brake on national growth.
- The trust deficit: Our data highlighted a strong correlation between unchecked violence and declining institutional trust, suggesting that safety is a prerequisite for economic stability, trust-building and foreign investment.
- Investment ROI: The analysis identified specific sectors and geographic areas where targeted investment yields the highest return in terms of reduced violence and economic recovery.
The results
Based on these insights, Media Scope Group developed a comprehensive suite of policy recommendations tailored for Mexican authorities. These were not generic suggestions but precise, data-driven proposals including:
- Short-term interventions: Immediate resource allocation to high-risk states identified by our forecasting models.
- Long-term structural reforms: Policy frameworks designed to dismantle systemic drivers of violence and rebuild institutional trust.
- Economic incentives: Proposals for public-private partnerships that align economic interests with social safety goals.
The client successfully utilized these findings to present a compelling case to regulators, shifting the narrative from a purely social justice issue to a critical economic issue. The report serves as a blueprint for client’s advocacy efforts for new legislative initiatives and funding allocations aimed at protecting vulnerable groups in society, strengthening the Mexican economy and trust in Mexican institutions.
Summary
This project showcases Media Scope Group’s capability to transform complex, sensitive social issues into actionable economic intelligence allowing to propose concrete solutions. With our proprietary methodologies and research capabilities to bridge gap between raw data and policy strategy, we empowered our client to launch activities to drive meaningful change. This project stands as a proof of the power of rigorous, multi-source research in shaping a safer, more equitable, and economically resilient Mexico.
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