Pedro Pierluisi declares a state of emergency for gender violence in Puerto Rico

After the claim of several sectors, the governor Pedro Pierluisi it declared a state of emergency for gender violence in Puerto Rico this Sunday.

“All violence is reprehensible and we must fight it ruthlessly. Gender violence is a social evil, based on ignorance and attitudes that cannot have room or tolerance in the Puerto Rico we pursue. For too long, vulnerable victims have suffered the consequences of systematic machismo, inequality, discrimination, lack of training, lack of guidance and, above all, lack of action. It is my duty and my commitment as a governor to end gender violence and for these purposes I have declared a state of emergency “the governor said in a press release.

According to the Chief Executive, the Executive Decision “designates a compliance officer, who will report to the Governor, to oversee, follow up and monitor the implementation of the decision. In addition, it establishes the Committee for the Prevention, Support, Rescue and Education of Gender Violence (PARE Committee), which appoints 17 members and increases the number of representations of organizations committed to providing services and combating violence against women. three raises. . This committee will be chaired by the secretary of the family, Carmen González Magaz, who has obtained a master’s degree and a doctorate from Carlos Albizu University, being her internship and doctoral thesis on gender violence ”.

Likewise, the governor ordered the creation of a cell phone application that helps victims of gender violence request emergency assistance by hiding the message sent to protect the victim from their aggressor.

The order also stipulates that each agency in consultation with the Office of Administration and Budget (OGP) will be required to identify internal resources, state and federal funds, available externally to comply with the provisions of the Executive Order, and request additional funds as needed to handle the declared emergency.

The president was energetic in justifying the state of emergency, highlighting the causes of violence against women and gender-based violence “It has permeated our society for a long time and we need to be proactive and firm when it comes to fighting it as redress for all the victims we have not been able to protect.”

Pierluisi’s announcement comes on the same day that La Fortaleza ordered several government agencies to terminate contracts with lawyer Jerome Garffer, accused of gender violence.

According to official figures, Puerto Rico ended 2020 with 6,170 reported incidents of domestic violence and eight women murdered under those circumstances. According to the Gender Equity Observatory, only 60 women were killed last year when considering the crimes pending autopsy and transfeminicides.