Five women were found dead on Friday, in Morelos, the latest victims in the rising tide of gender-based violence in the southern Mexican state.

Their bodies were found in different spots across the city of Cuautla, known as a weekend getaway spot for residents of Mexico City. The women were likely killed in disputes related to organized crime, according to Uriel Carmona, attorney general of the state.

Three of the bodies were found in bags with a hand-written message from a gang leader, claiming the killings were carried out against a rivals. Another two bodies, including one of a transgender woman, showed telltale signs of gangland killings, Carmona said in an interview to a news network. 

Rising violence against women

The killings come at the heel of Mexico City investigating the death of 27-year-old Ariadna Fernanda Lopez, who was found dead on a highway in Morelos, earlier in the week. The initial auopsy showed Lopez died of alcohol intoxication.

In Mexico, the rate of crime and violence against women has risen drastically in the last five years.

Seven out of ten women report experiencing some form of violence, according to a survey published by the statistics office. The same survey found that an average of 10 women are killed in Mexico every day. Tens of thousands are missing. 

The country recently made gains towards enforcing measures aimed at tackling gender-based  New penalties could result in 22 years in jail for acid attacks against women and five years in jail for sexual harassment.

mk/ar (AP, Reuters)