Rodriguez said there’s a new and alarming form of threat.

“They're (abusers) using the violence in Juarez as a threat to further control and dominate the victim. We hadn't heard that before."

Rodriguez said in the past three months, at least five people have come to his office seeking protective orders against an abusive spouse using Juarez as a threat. Rodriguez said he takes the threat seriously because the intentions could only mean one thing.

“Now it includes them saying, ‘If you don't listen to me I'm going to take you to Juarez.’ The message clearly is, ‘You know what's happening in Juarez to women,’” said Rodriguez.

“Last year there were over 80 femicides (in Juarez). So, the rate women being murdered has doubled in Ciudad, Juarez,” said UTEP political professor Kathleen Staudt.

During a special luncheon Friday, Staudt brought her expertise on border violence issues before judges of the 34th Judicial District to begin a dialogue between those who work in the court system.

She presented findings from her six year research, and focused the presentation on Femicide-Borders As Magnets For Violence.

“Abusers can leave our side of the border, go to the other side of the border and not appear in court, or be held accountable for their crime. Abusers could even take victims and dump them on the other side of the border,” said Staudt.

Rodriguez said victims of this new threat often can’t go before a judge and say their spouse is threatening to take them to Juarez because it’s usually not enough to grant them protection. It’s not like other cases where the spouse has threatened to kill the victim.

“There is a court system, and there's state law that requires certain factors to be considered in order to obtain protective orders. Unless you meet those requirements you might now be eligible for protective orders,” said Rodriguez.

Rodriguez said he will likely bring this issue before lawmakers to see if there changes to the law could be made that would help victims in this situation.

Domestic violence statistics obtained from the County Attorney’s office show in Dec. of 2007, 75 people applied for protective orders and 33 were granted, compared with 121 in Dec. of 2008 where 33 were granted.

In Jan. 2009, 115 people applied and 36 were granted. In Feb. 2009, 109 applied and 34 were granted protective orders.

Victims can contact the County Attorney's office at (915) 546-2050, or can call the Center Against Family Violence (915) 593-7300.

Feel free to comment on this story below.