Posted on in Video 49

It's complicated being a woman in Ciudad Juarez, something worth remembering on International Women's Day. It's even more so for those who end up at El Cereso, the local women's prison, where it's difficult to determine whether the inmates are simply criminals or victims. But this much is clear: behind the bars and makeup, the women are wracked with sadness and regret. Photojournalist Katie Orlinsky has been covering Ciudad Juarez for several years, documenting the drug war violence that has made it one of the world's most dangerous cities. As she got deeper into the story, she found herself drawn to the living victims of the drug war --- the orphans, the widows, the "narco-refugees" seeking safety across the border. But, she was particularly struck by the women she met at El Cereso. Turns out the number of women incarcerated for federal crimes has quadrupled since 2007, soon after Mexico's government declared a war on drug cartels. At El Cereso, more and more women share the same story --- about how they were lured into organized crime by a boyfriend or family member telling them, "Just this once. Nothing will happen." Often facing abuse and financial pressures at home, many women in Juarez are easy targets for criminal organizations looking for someone to help them move drugs or seduce unsuspecting kidnapping victims. It's easy money, they are told. And the opportunity --- often the only one they have --- has proven to be too good to refuse for those in need or looking ...