In the Mexican state of Sinaloa, ongoing cartel violence has significantly heightened the risks faced by women, who are increasingly caught in the crossfire or targeted directly amid a prolonged and brutal conflict between rival factions of the Sinaloa Cartel. Over the past year, cases of disappearances, kidnappings, and femicides have surged, making Sinaloa one of the most dangerous regions in the country for women.

Cecilia Berrelleza, a 31-year-old woman from Mazatlán, went missing in July 2025 after attending lunch with friends. Her sister, Nadia Berrelleza, has since been searching tirelessly for answers, receiving disturbing images and videos—some apparently fabricated by artificial intelligence—claiming to show Cecilia’s fate. Nadia’s efforts, which include offering her car as a reward and conducting undercover searches for her sister in cartel-controlled areas, highlight the desperation and dangers families face in pursuit of justice or closure. According to Nadia, some women may act as recruiters or intermediaries within cartel networks, a dynamic that complicates the distinction between victim and perpetrator.

Experts and local researchers underscore that violence against women in Sinaloa often overlaps with domestic abuse and cartel-related reprisals. In 2025, at least 105 women were killed in the state—the highest toll in 14 years—with 73 cases officially classified as femicides, or gender-motivated murders. Additionally, hundreds of women have vanished, many never to be found. Authorities face challenges investigating these crimes, with conviction rates for femicides remaining extremely low; one researcher from the Autonomous University of Sinaloa reports only about 8 percent of cases between 2015 and 2026 led to convictions. This mirrors a broader pattern of impunity in Mexico, where 95 percent of violent crimes typically go unresolved.

Many women have become both strategic assets and targets within the cartel conflict. Interviews with cartel members reveal that women’s close relationships with men involved in criminal organizations often give them access to sensitive information, making them vulnerable to suspicion, abduction, or execution if believed to be betraying cartel interests. Women are also recruited for roles traditionally held by men, including overseeing kidnappings or managing illicit operations, as the death or capture of male operatives creates operational gaps.

In some cases, acts of gender violence, such as the killing of Barbara Yáñez Uriarte and her young son in an incident initially thought to be cartel-related, mimic cartel tactics but stem from domestic disputes. Such instances further complicate efforts to understand and address the roots of violence against women in the region.

While authorities have declined comment on specific cases, relatives and advocates emphasize that institutional neglect, entrenched impunity, and a climate dominated by violence hinder progress toward justice and protection for women. As Nadia Berrelleza remarked, both official agencies and local communities often feel outnumbered and unable to offer real help, leaving victims and their families to navigate a perilous and uncertain landscape.