WITNESS investigates the dual injustice experienced by many families in Mexico as young women are abducted and family members falsely are accused of the crime. 

Since 1993, more than 400 women have been brutally murdered and there have been over 4,000 registered complaints of missing women in Ciudad Juarez and Chihuahua, Mexico. This systemic problem has been called "feminicide" and has been known as the most embarrassing human rights scandal in Mexico's recent history. One of the most striking characteristics of the situation is how the families of the missing women and those of the accused in jail have joined efforts in their struggle to overcome a dual injustice: the loss of a loved one and also the torture and incarceration of a relative.

In the past twelve years, explanations as to why women are being abducted and brutally murdered have ranged from forced prostitution and organ trafficking, to satanic rituals and the production of snuff movies. However, there have been no sufficient evidence convincingly pointing to any particular theory that could explain all these crimes, nor are any of the possible hypothesis exclusive. Regardless, the phenomenon shows a clear pattern of gender based violence and continues to thrive due to the authorities' failure to properly investigate the murders. Under fire for its negligence and incompetence, local authorities have attempted to appease public outcry by torturing people into confessing to these murders. Currently, there are 12 men in jail for roughly 30 murders of women, all of which are based on confessions with credible reports of torture.

Join WITNESS and the Comisión Mexicana de Defensa y Promoción de los Derechos Humanos to put an end to "feminicide" and torture in Ciudad Juarez and Chihuahua. Watch the video, read the story, check out the resources for more information, and ACT NOW.