Mexico: Report documents 58 clandestine graves linked to feminicide

A report by the Universidad Iberoamericana Human Rights Program, titled ‘Trazar la ausencia, caminar la esperanza’, has documented 58 clandestine graves in Mexico linked to feminicide between January 2020 and September 2024. These sites contained the remains of 92 individuals, including women, girls, boys, and adolescents.

The investigation highlights that clandestine burials in these cases are often an extension of feminicidal violence rather than just criminal activity. Recurrent patterns identified include individual burials or those alongside other women and minors, often accompanied by signs of torture, strangulation, asphyxiation, physical trauma, sexual violence, and prior immobilization.

The data shows a significant increase in these findings, with 2024 accounting for 39% of the documented graves linked to feminicide during the analyzed period. The report notes that this rise may indicate both an intensification of the phenomenon and increased visibility through media coverage.