"Rape Trees" Found Along Southern US Border

11.21.09

LIFESTYLE

"Rape Trees" Found Along Southern US Border

by Mariela Rosario | 03.11.2009 | 3:00pm | 27 Comments

Julian Cardona

The violence in Mexico is out of control and undeniably headed north. From beheadings to kidnappings, there seems to be no limit to what the cartels are willing to do to assert their dominance. They deal not only in drugs, but also in humans. The majority of the coyotes who help illegal immigrants cross the border are affiliated with these Mexican cartels.

Although many politicians would like to believe that the violence will stay to the south of the border, the reality is that it has already begun to affect South Western states. The revelation that Phoenix is now the "kidnapping capital" of the United States only affirms what many residents already knew.

A new method of marking territory has crossed over into the United States. "Rape trees" are popping up in Southern Arizona and their significance is horrific and disgusting. These "rape trees" are places where cartel members and coyotes rape female border crossers and hang their clothes, specifically undergarments, to mark their conquest and territory.

Sen. Jonathan Paton (R-Tucson), recently invited officials to describe the problems being faced in his home state to the Senate Judiciary Committee, which he chairs. Paton said violence along the border has escalated dramatically in the past year, "We want to go after these crimes," he insisted, "It’s an unbelievable situation, and we can’t allow that to go on in this country."

For more info. visit truthout.org or read the follow up article at Latina.com.

27 Comments

Adrian123
07.26.2009
10:29am

This is quite incredible and quite atrocious. I suspect some serious media manipulation here. It just doesn't quite seem to tie up

aresa
07.07.2009
1:04am

that is attrocious and appauling I grew up in el paso texas which borders juarez easily one of the more violent cities in mexico...I have been aware of horrifyingly violent acts against men and women for sometime...I know live in southern arizona and am alone often as a result of my boyfriends job...I am incredibly aware of my surroundings and have noticed some suspicious things...I have a lot of friends in law enforcement and they tell me stories everyday that keep me from becoming complacent...this is very real very scary and everyone should know about this...i feel if these rape trees were in the midwest more people would be aware and horrified...immigration status should not be relvevant in treating people justly...something must be done to protect people

kim33
06.28.2009
9:37am

Why do I get the feeling that media like this is part of a greater plot to diffuse our "War on Drugs" south of the border? -----

cindy1089
06.23.2009
11:49am

i lived in rio bravo for about a year after goin down from chicago..the violence is intimadating.there wouldnt be a day when we would see the newspaper and somebody was found dead and rio bravo isnt that big...i live right in the border now but in texas,n things really are getting tough im proud to say that im a latina but mexico is a very corupt place even the president is in on it.the US needs to help out even if it means war...inocent people are dying anyways for stupid causes because some assholes wana make easy money killing people

bennyandhika
06.18.2009
9:30am

How romantic, the image! Anyway, if this is true then the situation in Mexico has gone wild and the authorities should take some more strict measures to calm down things

borderraven
06.05.2009
4:21pm

We need to face the truth about our nation, the borders, our neighbors, and laws in place to protect our society. Accept the truth, do not deny reality. Rape trees have existed a long time before the Minutemen began attracting attention to the issue. As a teen, I had heard of sex crimes and victimization along the border, but I was not aware of the rape trees where the coyote kept his trophies. This reflects a cultural reality of Mexico, the fact that a society, has deteriorated and fallen into such disgrace as to victimize itself with corruption and crime. It should be the goal of all persons supporting Mexico, and who owe their allegiance to the Mexican flag, to go into Mexico to protest the violence and teach about the dangers and realities of illegal immigration. Fix Mexico, and defend the USA. Illegal aliens are exploited at every step, along their path to their fantasy, the "American Dream". US citizens should join up to tour the border, and clean up the trash left by the illegal aliens. Save the American Dream for your retirement years, and give your children a safe society to raise their children. US Civil Rights are for US citizens. Mexicans et. al. will have to fight and die to secure their nation, if they want Mexican Civil Rights and the Mexican Dream. Those, cowardly Mexicans waving Mexican flags in the USA, are deserters avoiding the fight for the freedom of Mexico. Stop the denial and accept personal responsibility. Carry your own baggage, and you might notice the weight.

DannyH
05.29.2009
6:28pm

Just another example that shows us that we need a stronger border. Build higher fences, maybe a minefield as well. They need to keep their barbaric criminal lifestyle south of the border. It's a shame that things are so terrible in Mexico, but it shouldn't be my problem, nor my children's. All potential immigrants should stay in Mexico and fix their country and it's internal problems instead of dragging all that nonsense here. Can anyone here imagine an American going down to Mexico and perpetrating these heinous crimes? There would be no acceptable excuse and likewise there is no excuse for Mexican criminals to cross the U.S. border and commit these atrocious acts. I'm so tired of hearing about people "just trying to make a better life for themselves by escaping the poverty in Mexico". Stay in your own country and make life better THERE. Do not drag your crime and woe here.

LUNAdeMENTE
05.21.2009
1:06pm

Sensationalizing a story is a way to push the wares of the columnist or reporters. Also, I don’t automatically believe everything I read….yet very valid points have been raised by readers. .... But back to the point: The idea of “Rape Trees” hurts deep in my soul. I am repulsed at the thought that someone can be so dehumanizing. Whether real or a territorial marking to annihilate the competition, just pains me just to think about the monstrosity of it all. .... The viciousness of the despicable cartels operating south of the border has surpassed any realm of human decency. They are true terrorists running loose, resorting to decapitations and ‘cooking’ of bodies -which is utterly revolting and unfathomed in a civilized world- evidencing their drug induced sociopathic disregard of all that civility has accomplished. ......................... Lori Z. from Texas

thalia1996
04.11.2009
6:55pm

I actually have a comment. First as human beings we must start by not blaming, or to single out any country or race, crime exists all around the world. Every person should do their very best to try and educate their own children and teach them moral values so that they must respect all women around the world, not just their mother. Rapes happen every single day all over the world and they are not all by a single race ( TD ) and NOT JUST on the MEXICAN BORDER OR JUST PERPERTRATED BY MEXICANS, or DRUGGIES. BUT I AM HAPPY TO KNOW THAT YOU WROTE TO YOUR CONGRESSMAN . But what must be change are the laws on punishing RAPISTS specially when they perpertrated by more than one person it should not be left just up to the JUDGE TO DECIDE the punishment, Because for a first time RAPIST 10 days served in a juvenile correctional and 6 months probation is not enough time for them to learn their lesson is IT ?? OR do you think is enough justice for the VICTIM???? But this is your tax money at work. Corruption is every where one of the BIGGEST CROOKS HAPPEN TO BE WORKING ON WALLSTREET and is now in jail waiting for HIS DAY in COURT ... not ALL politicians in MEXICO are crooked some of them are very honest and they are working very HARD to change the LAWS there But the drug demand on the U.S. makes very hard for the laws to make it safer for everyone in GENERAL....." IT IS UP TO EVERY PARENT TO KNOW WHAT THEIR CHILD IS UP TO or INTO " parents actually make a DIFFERENCE in a CHILDS LIFE in the long run. from FLORIDA

mydarlene16
03.22.2009
7:34pm

thanks "xznofile" you brought up a good point... the story did sound fishy... its awful but fishy