The multiple manifestations of gender violence represent a violation of the human rights of women and the LGBTTIQ+ communities and are part of Puerto Rico’s daily reality. As of April 2022, six women have been victims of intimate femicides — murders perpetrated by their partners or ex-partners — which is not an improvement compared to the same period in 2021.

That year, a total of 12 women were victims of intimate femicides, and another 41 trans persons were murdered or died in Puerto Rico in circumstances linked to manifestations of gender violence, according to data from the Gender Equity Observatory. Additionally, 14 women and seven girls who were reported missing in 2021 remain unaccounted for.

The Government of Puerto Rico declared a State of Emergency for Gender Violence in 2021, with the promise of establishing public policy measures to combat femicides and gender violence. It was an institutional recognition that, just as people perceive it, the problem is out of control and requires new affirmative public policies that strongly deal with it.

Along with this official recognition, the establishment of an educational program and curriculum with a gender perspective in public schools faces the opposition of conservative groups that until now have hindered the measure that is conceived as the most effective prevention tool.

The Center for Investigative Journalism (CPI, in Spanish) established the Gender Investigative Unit in partnership with feminist media outlet Todospr.com to stress oversight and in-depth coverage of violence against women and LGBTTIQ+ communities from a gender perspective.

As a result of this alliance, in addition to investigations aimed at changing this reality of systemic gender violence in Puerto Rico, we intend to train our journalists and those of other local media to do better coverage of these issues every day.

This initiative is made possible in part with the support of the Ford Foundation.