Mexico Mexico - Las Muertas de Juárez *UNSOLVED*

[SewingDeb]

I don't know how related this is but thought it should be included. The town has shut down after the threat.

CIUDAD JUAREZ, Mexico (AFP) - Mexico's northern border town of Juarez, infamous for its history of drug-related violence, has gone into lockdown after an e-mail began circulating warning of an unparalleled "bloodbath" in the coming days.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/afp/080526/world/mexico_crime

 

[absinthe]

Thanks, SewingDeb. Wow, scary.

 

[anneinchicago]

Just got this out of the library-

The Daughters of Juarez
A True Story of Serial Murder South of The Border

by Teresa Rodriguez

Only a third of the way through, but the details, the indifference and the cover-ups make me sick.

 

[thefragile7393]

Glad to see this here, as these killings have been going on for quite some time. And likely, I feel, there's numerous people behind them, not all one person or one group...and all for different reasons, and though some may be the same, I don't feel they are for ALL the same reason...does that make sense? :waitasec: Severe pregnancy brain and nausea are limiting me right now lol. Like all of you here I'd love to research more about these and learn more. It's truely an ugly situation down there...in many border towns, but some are more rough than others.

 

[blaize]

Here's a link to an excellent slideshow from the German Stern magazine called City Of Missing Women

 

[blaize]

Sorry you're feeling a bit under the weather thefragile, hope you feel better soon.

I think there's every possibility that we have an axis of murder and violence here but the one thing that makes it stand out so vividly is that all the victims are female.

Whether there's a single serial killer or a number of them active or if it's organised crime involved in human trafficking, the underlying fact seems loud and clear; women are a disposable resource, chew them up and spit them out and dispose of them like garbage and no one will stop you.

Glad to see this here, as these killings have been going on for quite some time. And likely, I feel, there's numerous people behind them, not all one person or one group...and all for different reasons, and though some may be the same, I don't feel they are for ALL the same reason...does that make sense? :waitasec: Severe pregnancy brain and nausea are limiting me right now lol. Like all of you here I'd love to research more about these and learn more. It's truely an ugly situation down there...in many border towns, but some are more rough than others.

 

[absinthe]

That's why I used the word "femicide" in the title, Blaize! I feel like this is more than a serial killer/s, this is a campaign to demonstrate the disposability and worthlessness of women. It's sickening, and every human being should be concerned, especially us vagina havers.

Nice to see you here, anne and fragile!

 

[blaize]

Yes, in a culture that reveres the Madonna it's sadly ironic that so many women are treated as disposable commodities.

Whether that's a by-product of poverty or a vicious mix of macho indifference and wilful ignorance remains to be seen but each of those murdered women was somebody's daughter, somebody's sister or cousin or aunt or mother so we should be a voice that shouts for justice for them.

That's why I used the word "femicide" in the title, Blaize! I feel like this is more than a serial killer/s, this is a campaign to demonstrate the disposability and worthlessness of women. It's sickening, and every human being should be concerned, especially us vagina havers.

Nice to see you here, anne and fragile!

 

[absinthe]

Yes, in a culture that reveres the Madonna it's sadly ironic that so many women are treated as disposable commodities.

Whether that's a by-product of poverty or a vicious mix of macho indifference and wilful ignorance remains to be seen but each of those murdered women was somebody's daughter, somebody's sister or cousin or aunt or mother so we should be a voice that shouts for justice for them.

The reverence of La Virgen de Guadalupe might actually have something to do with it, blaize! I sometimes think (and this is my opinion alone) that sometimes in societies where there is a strong cult of the Virgin Mary, there is also a pervasive Madonna/*advertiser censored* mindset regarding women.

 

[thefragile7393]

Whether there's a single serial killer or a number of them active or if it's organised crime involved in human trafficking, the underlying fact seems loud and clear; women are a disposable resource, chew them up and spit them out and dispose of them like garbage and no one will stop you.

I think you've hit the nail on the head...and quite possibly one of the many reasons why these keep going on. I wish that article was in English, but the pictures are moving enough.

 

[blaize]

The Madonna/*advertiser censored* paradigm is part of the cultural mindset and background to all of this but at the same time if someone with enough authority to enforce it doesn't say stop, the murders, violence and abuse will just continue unabated.

The reverence of La Virgen de Guadalupe might actually have something to do with it, blaize! I sometimes think (and this is my opinion alone) that sometimes in societies where there is a strong cult of the Virgin Mary, there is also a pervasive Madonna/*advertiser censored* mindset regarding women.

 

[absinthe]

The Madonna/*advertiser censored* paradigm is part of the cultural mindset and background to all of this but at the same time if someone with enough authority to enforce it doesn't say stop the murders, violence and abuse will just continue unabated.

Again, just seems to show that those in authority are complicit!

We really need to start a suspect list...start looking at different scenarios...

 

[blaize]

Those images are moving aren't they? They help put a very human and suffering face on these tragic events.

I think you've hit the nail on the head...and quite possibly one of the many reasons why these keep going on. I wish that article was in English, but the pictures are moving enough.

 

[blaize]

Are there specific names available or are people too afraid to point the finger?

I'd be very concerned that we do this correctly so that we don't endanger any whistle blowers by posting bread crumbs that could be followed to any vulnerable person.

Again, just seems to show that those in authority are complicit!

We really need to start a suspect list...start looking at different scenarios...

 

[absinthe]

Are there specific names available or are people too afraid to point the finger?

I'd be very concerned that we do this correctly so that we don't endanger any whistle blowers by posting bread crumbs that could be followed to any vulnerable person.

Let's see..there are 2 possible ways to do this. One would be to use theories (i.e., the young sons of the elite are responsible, drug cartels, cults, organ harvesters, etc.) and the other would be to use actual names of individuals (which would be more difficult, IMO).

 

[blaize]

Yes the safest way for now is to follow theories and see where they lead us.

Let's see..there are 2 possible ways to do this. One would be to use theories (i.e., the young sons of the elite are responsible, drug cartels, cults, organ harvesters, etc.) and the other would be to use actual names of individuals (which would be more difficult, IMO).

 

[mywarmbluefleece]

Either theory is possible. I think they just run those parts of Mexico and they can get away with anything.

We actually had an FBI agent come to the school I was student teaching to give a talk about the signs of drug use. He said the slayings in Ciudad Juarez had to do with drug debts and gangs and they harm other family members instead of the person who breaks whatever street gang rule they have.

 

[anneinchicago]

Don't know if this has already been posted somewhere, but here are some hopefully useful links.

Interestingly enough, most of these sites also use the word femicide.

And if all these dead women were, instead, dead men, the world would be up in arms.

Amigos de Mujeres
http://www.amigosdemujeres.org/

Amnesty International
http://www.amnestyusa.org/violence-...hihuahua/page.do?id=1108394&n1=3&n2=39&n3=732

NOW
http://www.now.org/issues/global/juarez/

and

LibertadLatina.org (some cases notes here)
http://www.libertadlatina.org/Crisis_Lat_Mexico_Juarez_Femicide.htm

casa amiga crisis center
http://www.casa-amiga.org/Presentation.html

justicia para nuestras hijas (spanish only, i think)
http://www.geocities.com/jpnh123/

mujeres de negro (spanish only)
http://www.mujeresdenegro.org/

and an article on the women in black
http://www.ingentaconnect.com/conte...1;jsessionid=6i17ch2nli1tc.alice?format=print

mujeres por juarez

petition to endthe violence
http://www.petitiononline.com/JUAREZ/petition.html

The Juarez Project
http://thejuarezproject.com/

Washington Office on Latin America
http://www.wola.org/index.php?&option=com_content&task=blogsection&id=6&Itemid=&topic=Violence+Against+Women⊂=1&content_topic=Juarez+Murders

 

[SewingDeb]

You're welcome Absinthe. I wouldn't want to live there.

 

[thefragile7393]

We actually had an FBI agent come to the school I was student teaching to give a talk about the signs of drug use. He said the slayings in Ciudad Juarez had to do with drug debts and gangs and they harm other family members instead of the person who breaks whatever street gang rule they have.

I truely believe that's part of it....maybe a good part of it. But not all of it, not by a long shot.