Between 200 – 400 young women have been declared missing or brutally murdered in Juarez, Mexico and the number is increasing. This issue is closer to home than many of us think. The majority of these young women worked for maquiladoras, which translates as “foreign owned companies,” said Tanisha Searle, organizer of The Juarez Project.

Corporations like Sony, Zenith and firms associated with Buick are a few of the U.S. companies a part of maquiladoras. They provide the women with intolerable living conditions ?” such as no electricity or running water and extremely low wages. The women are grouped onto connected plots of land, and the company provides transportation to and from work. However, it is during the transportation that most of these women are abducted, explained Patricia Grady, coordinator at the Women’s Resource Center.

The bodies uncovered revealed the women were victims of brutal murders. Many of them were held captive for days before they were tortured with sexual violence, finally to be beaten or strangled to death, according to The Juarez Project website.

The government has in largely not played a significant role in helping the families of the victims investigate how or why these crimes are taking place, Searle said. U.S. affiliated companies in Mexico also are turning their cheeks the other way.

There is much speculation of corruption surrounding this case. Police are believed to be involved, as evidence has been found on police premises in connection to the disappearances. No solid leads have been established, but suspicions are out there of serial killers, as the women have shown signs of similar torture, Searle said.

As Juarez is popular for it’s supply, Narco-traffickers are also on the list. “Many of the women have been found with body parts missing. (Narco-traffickers) are known to perform ritualistic ceremonies where they cut off women’s female parts and also enjoy burning them alive,” Grady said.

The system in the United States doesn’t tolerate abuse towards workers, whereas in Mexico, labor laws have not effectively been put into place, Grady said.

Unions in Mexico also have been found to be inefficient. The Juarez Project and other groups traveling to Juarez have attempted to meet with state officials. Their efforts have been unsuccessful. Grady reported at least two or three meetings were either cancelled, or the officials never showed up.

However, there are victims on both sides. The police have attained many suspects of their own. Of those a majority have been tortured and beaten into confessions, Searle said.

“There are men that are being held in prison, although none have been formally charged, except one for man. But the murders continue,” Searle said.

On March 8, Searle has invited a mother and her nephew to talk about their experience. The mother lost her daughter while, soon after, her nephew was falsely taken into custody and accused for the murders.

Searle, organized The Juarez Project to help the families of victims bring attention to the missing and murdered women epidemic taking place in Juarez. The event, the airing of “Missing Young Girls” will display the findings of the case. As a commemorative symbol, they will also be placing pink crosses in the library quad on Feb. 20.

For more information on the event and The Juarez Project, please visit www.thejuarezproject.com. .