Column : Gender violence as an electoral priority : El Nuevo Día

For decades, feminist organizations in Puerto Rico have fought tirelessly against gender violence, creating services and strategies that seek to protect women. However, these efforts often only receive attention when it is too late (do they lament the loss of lives?) or when we are forced to take to the streets to defend our rights.

Last year's figures reveal the gravity of the situation: the government reported 1,087 sexual crimes, 9,981 requests for protection orders, 7,955 incidents of domestic violence and 22 femicides at the hands of partners or ex-partners. These numbers are not just statistics; they represent lives taken away by gender violence. In addition, thousands of women and girls continue to resist violence in their own homes, places that should be safe.