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GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE
AND FEMINICIDES
At the Fundación de Mujeres en Puerto Rico, we are committed to eradicating gender-based violence (GBV) in all its forms.GBV includes physical, emotional, sexual, and systemic violence directed at individuals based on their gender identity or expression. This affects women, trans women, nonbinary, and gender-expansive people who, due to intersecting factors such as race, class, and colonial legacies, face heightened vulnerability.
The COVID-19 pandemic, combined with natural and man-made disasters, worsened the crisis: domestic violence incidents rose by 83% during lockdowns. In the aftermath of Hurricane María in 2017, domestic violence-related deaths doubled—highlighting how disasters disproportionately impact women and marginalized communities.
Groups such as Colectiva Feminista en Construcción, the Observatorio de Equidad de Género, and other community coalitions organized protests, launched media campaigns, and created independent data-collection systems to expose the alarming rise in femicides and government inaction. In 2020, these groups staged a permanent Plantón Feminista in front of La Fortaleza, the governor’s mansion, demanding official action. Their demands included the emergency declaration, funding for survivor services, and prevention programs grounded in gender justice.
Although the 2021 declaration was a political and symbolic victory, its implementation has been limited. Initiatives such as the creation of the PARE Committee and public education campaigns have been undermined by lack of funding, poor coordination, and weak accountability.
The systemic underestimation of GBV remains a central problem. Survivors—especially trans women and nonbinary people—fear being ignored, revictimized, or blamed when reporting abuse. This distrust reflects decades of ineffective and insensitive security and justice institutions. The situation is worsened by the lack of trained personnel and culturally competent services for LGBTQ+ and racialized communities.
Data collection is another critical weakness. Before the creation of the Gender Equity Observatory in 2019, Puerto Rico lacked any centralized or reliable source of information on femicides or GBV. Even today, government data often omit crucial details—such as the survivor’s gender identity, age, or relationship to the aggressor—making it harder to identify patterns, assess risks, or allocate resources effectively. Public policy continues to be based on incomplete, outdated data, and the lack of disaggregation by race, class, or gender identity erases the specific vulnerabilities of Black, poor, rural, and queer communities.
In the face of these gaps, feminist organizations have stepped in. The Observatory now publishes detailed public reports that not only count femicides but also document disappearances and institutional negligence. These reports have become essential tools for activists, journalists, and legislators pushing for fairer and more effective public policies.
But the responsibility to address GBV cannot rest solely on civil society. Lasting change requires investment, political will, and the transformation of institutions that too often perpetuate the very violence they are supposed to prevent.
From early childhood, it teaches that gender should never determine one’s rights, future, or value. It challenges stereotypes that link leadership with masculinity, caregiving with femininity, and violence with dominance. It equips children and youth to question inequality and understand the structural and historical roots of gender-based violence.
In Puerto Rico, feminist organizations and educators have fought for decades to institutionalize gender-inclusive education as a fundamental tool for equity and violence prevention. Since the 1990s, teachers, unions, and feminist collectives have proposed integrating gender equity as a cross-cutting theme in school curricula. Research consistently shows its effectiveness in reducing violence and promoting respect for diversity.
Yet these recommendations have rarely been translated into sustained public policy. Fierce resistance from conservative and religious fundamentalist groups has blocked progress. Leaders from parties such as Proyecto Dignidad have spearheaded disinformation campaigns, falsely claiming gender perspective “indoctrinates” children or threatens traditional values. Their influence has pressured the Department of Education to halt teacher training on equity, diversity, and human rights.
The result is a fragmented and inconsistent policy landscape. Although the PARE Committee produced a curriculum, its proposals have been sidelined, and the Department of Education has avoided committing to a structured, mandatory implementation. What has proven to save lives and transform communities in other countries has been sabotaged in Puerto Rico by political and religious interests that place ideology above collective wellbeing.
Despite these obstacles, organizations like Taller Salud, Proyecto Matria, Colectiva Feminista en Construcción, and committed educators continue to advance gender-inclusive education in communities, public schools, universities, and digital platforms. Their work equips new generations to question stereotypes, prevent violence, and build a more just society starting in the classroom. The demand remains clear: without gender-inclusive education, there is no real prevention of violence.
We call on public institutions, educators, caregivers, and community leaders to join this effort. Cultural change begins in the classroom. A society that teaches equality from the very first day builds safer, healthier, and more just communities for all.
The Crisis in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico is facing a gender-based violence crisis so severe that a State of Emergency was declared in 2021. In 2024, the Gender Equity Observatory of Puerto Rico reported 82 femicides—a sharp increase in gender-related killings across the archipelago. This translates into one femicide approximately every 4.5 days. Licensed firearms have become the most common weapon used in these crimes.The COVID-19 pandemic, combined with natural and man-made disasters, worsened the crisis: domestic violence incidents rose by 83% during lockdowns. In the aftermath of Hurricane María in 2017, domestic violence-related deaths doubled—highlighting how disasters disproportionately impact women and marginalized communities.
Systemic Challenges
Despite the 2021 declaration of emergency, many of the structural conditions that enable GBV remain deeply entrenched. The declaration itself was not a spontaneous government act, but the outcome of years of relentless feminist organizing in Puerto Rico.Groups such as Colectiva Feminista en Construcción, the Observatorio de Equidad de Género, and other community coalitions organized protests, launched media campaigns, and created independent data-collection systems to expose the alarming rise in femicides and government inaction. In 2020, these groups staged a permanent Plantón Feminista in front of La Fortaleza, the governor’s mansion, demanding official action. Their demands included the emergency declaration, funding for survivor services, and prevention programs grounded in gender justice.
Although the 2021 declaration was a political and symbolic victory, its implementation has been limited. Initiatives such as the creation of the PARE Committee and public education campaigns have been undermined by lack of funding, poor coordination, and weak accountability.
The systemic underestimation of GBV remains a central problem. Survivors—especially trans women and nonbinary people—fear being ignored, revictimized, or blamed when reporting abuse. This distrust reflects decades of ineffective and insensitive security and justice institutions. The situation is worsened by the lack of trained personnel and culturally competent services for LGBTQ+ and racialized communities.
Data collection is another critical weakness. Before the creation of the Gender Equity Observatory in 2019, Puerto Rico lacked any centralized or reliable source of information on femicides or GBV. Even today, government data often omit crucial details—such as the survivor’s gender identity, age, or relationship to the aggressor—making it harder to identify patterns, assess risks, or allocate resources effectively. Public policy continues to be based on incomplete, outdated data, and the lack of disaggregation by race, class, or gender identity erases the specific vulnerabilities of Black, poor, rural, and queer communities.
In the face of these gaps, feminist organizations have stepped in. The Observatory now publishes detailed public reports that not only count femicides but also document disappearances and institutional negligence. These reports have become essential tools for activists, journalists, and legislators pushing for fairer and more effective public policies.
But the responsibility to address GBV cannot rest solely on civil society. Lasting change requires investment, political will, and the transformation of institutions that too often perpetuate the very violence they are supposed to prevent.
Addressing Gender-Based Violence at the Root: Our Commitment to Gender-Lens Education
At the Fundación de Mujeres en Puerto Rico, we believe eradicating gender-based violence requires far more than addressing individual cases. It requires transforming the systems, cultures, and institutions that allow violence to persist. One of the most powerful tools to achieve this is gender-inclusive education.What is Gender-Inclusive Education?
It means integrating a critical understanding of gender roles, power dynamics, and social inequalities throughout the educational process. It is not a single subject, but a comprehensive approach to teaching that fosters equality, respect, and empathy.From early childhood, it teaches that gender should never determine one’s rights, future, or value. It challenges stereotypes that link leadership with masculinity, caregiving with femininity, and violence with dominance. It equips children and youth to question inequality and understand the structural and historical roots of gender-based violence.
In Puerto Rico, feminist organizations and educators have fought for decades to institutionalize gender-inclusive education as a fundamental tool for equity and violence prevention. Since the 1990s, teachers, unions, and feminist collectives have proposed integrating gender equity as a cross-cutting theme in school curricula. Research consistently shows its effectiveness in reducing violence and promoting respect for diversity.
Yet these recommendations have rarely been translated into sustained public policy. Fierce resistance from conservative and religious fundamentalist groups has blocked progress. Leaders from parties such as Proyecto Dignidad have spearheaded disinformation campaigns, falsely claiming gender perspective “indoctrinates” children or threatens traditional values. Their influence has pressured the Department of Education to halt teacher training on equity, diversity, and human rights.
The result is a fragmented and inconsistent policy landscape. Although the PARE Committee produced a curriculum, its proposals have been sidelined, and the Department of Education has avoided committing to a structured, mandatory implementation. What has proven to save lives and transform communities in other countries has been sabotaged in Puerto Rico by political and religious interests that place ideology above collective wellbeing.
Despite these obstacles, organizations like Taller Salud, Proyecto Matria, Colectiva Feminista en Construcción, and committed educators continue to advance gender-inclusive education in communities, public schools, universities, and digital platforms. Their work equips new generations to question stereotypes, prevent violence, and build a more just society starting in the classroom. The demand remains clear: without gender-inclusive education, there is no real prevention of violence.
Our Commitment
At the Fundación de Mujeres en Puerto Rico, we proudly promote gender-inclusive education. We support the integration of feminist and intersectional perspectives at every level of the education system—not only as a preventive measure against violence, but as the foundation of a more equitable society.We call on public institutions, educators, caregivers, and community leaders to join this effort. Cultural change begins in the classroom. A society that teaches equality from the very first day builds safer, healthier, and more just communities for all.
Why must ending gender-based violence be
the foundation of a just and prosperous society?
Es una violación de derechos fundamentales. Niega a las personas—especialmente mujeres, niñas, personas trans y de género diverso—su derecho a vivir sin miedo, coerción ni daño. Ninguna sociedad puede considerarse justa o democrática si tolera la violencia por motivos de género.
Survivors face long-term physical and mental health consequences, including trauma, depression, chronic illness, and reproductive complications. These effects not only harm individuals but also strain healthcare systems and weaken the collective health of communities.
Gender-based violence is a major barrier to equity and economic development. Many survivors miss work, lose their jobs, or are excluded from opportunities because of violence or lack of safety. Globally, the economic cost of GBV amounts to billions of dollars. In Puerto Rico—where poverty disproportionately affects women and single mothers—GBV deepens existing inequalities.
When girls and young people experience violence or harassment in schools, their performance suffers—or they drop out altogether. LGBTQ+ students also face harassment that undermines their learning. Eradicating gender-based violence is key to ensuring safe and supportive learning environments.
When people lose trust in the police, the courts, or other institutions meant to protect them, the legitimacy of the justice system erodes. This distrust fuels impunity and deepens marginalization. Without justice, there can be no sustainable peace or inclusive governance.
The United Nations has recognized that eradicating gender-based violence is central to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 5 on Gender Equality. Without addressing this violence, efforts to end poverty, improve health, guarantee education, and promote economic growth will remain insufficient.
By preventing gender-based violence, we foster environments rooted in care, mutual respect, and justice. We create safer homes, schools, and public spaces. We unleash the potential of women, girls, and gender-diverse people to lead, innovate, and transform society. In short, addressing gender-based violence is essential to building the Puerto Rico we deserve.
Together we can break the cycle.
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