The governor of Puerto Rico, Pedro Pierluisi, announced this Sunday an executive order to declare an emergency for sexist violence, as he had advanced during his electoral campaign due to the situation faced by women on the island.
This is a measure that is usually taken in exceptional situations such as hurricanes or earthquakes.
It will be in effect until July 30, 2022, according to Telemundo Puerto Rico.
The initiative responds to a social alarm caused by the increase in cases in a population such as Puerto Rico
, of about 3.2 million people, where in 2020 there were more than 45 femicides and 6,170 reported incidents of gender violence, according to the Gender Equity Observatory (OEG) of the island.
Social alarm was definitely unleashed after
17 murders of women were recorded
in a four-week period
between September 15 and October 19 of last year
.
The decision announced this Sunday by Pierluisi, who supports the Democratic Party in the United States, comes after his predecessor, Wanda Vázquez, who is a supporter instead of the Republicans, announced a state of national alert because of violence against women in September 2019. That same year, 7,021 cases of domestic violence were reported, of which 5,896 occurred against women, according to the government's administrative bulletin.
Feminist groups considered that measure, which implied a call to the executive branch to order compliance with existing laws, not enough.
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Pierluisi, for his part, said: "It is my duty and commitment as governor to establish a STOP to gender violence and to these ends is that I have declared a state of emergency. "
“For us it is a victory because the country has been requesting for two years to declare a state of emergency
.
We are part of a group of women that met last Friday in La Fortaleza [official residence of the governor] and that day we presented (to the governor) a list of recommendations to address violence against women.
Right now our working group is reviewing the executive order and the recommendations, ”Amárilis Pagán, executive director of the feminist organization Proyecto Matria, told El Vocero de Puerto Rico.
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Pagán assumes that the order recognizes the importance of education with a gender perspective, however, points out that there are no "specific measures to implement it."
"I am presuming that the measures that Wanda Vázquez in terms of education with a gender perspective of her previous order are incorporated, but it remains to be seen how La Fortaleza is interpreting it and how it will implement it," he added to the Puerto Rican newspaper.
The Gender Equity Observatory, a project developed under a coalition of feminist and human rights organizations in Puerto Rico, pointed out on its Facebook page that it is an achievement for the organizations, but that they will continue to be "vigilant with its compliance."
"We demand the recognition of the concept of Femicide and investigations of cases of femicides and transfeminicides
. Investigations with a gender perspective according to the recommendations of the Latin American Protocol, as well as transparency and updating of statistics," they point out.
Executive order 2021-13 establishes specific mechanisms such as the appointment of a compliance officer, who will respond to the governor, to supervise, monitor and verify the implementation of the order.
The Committee for the Prevention, Support, Rescue and Education of Gender Violence (PARE Committee) in which 17 members are appointed and increases to three the representation of organizations that are dedicated to fighting against sexist violence.
This committee will be chaired by the Secretary of the Family, Carmen González.
Another of the provisions of the order establishes the
creation of a telephone application that helps victims of sexist violence to request emergency help by
hiding the message sent to protect the victim from their aggressor.
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Each agency in coordination with the Office of Management and Budget (OGP) will have to identify the resources to comply with the provisions of the executive order and, if necessary, request additional funds to handle the declared emergency.
Follow-up program for victims
In an effort to prevent fatalities and provide greater security to victims, a follow-up program is created so that anyone who has a protection order for sexist violence is contacted by a public official to verify their safety.
The establishment of training mechanisms for all public order agents and personnel of Government agencies relevant to the efforts of the PARE Committee is ordered, as well as the optimization of the processes to compile reliable statistics on the incidence of sexist violence.
"Establishing and executing protection, prevention and guidance programs, as well as protocols for
access to housing, health services, education and work, in order to prevent and eradicate violence,
remains a priority service of the Government of Puerto Rico.
in gender "
, indicates the executive order.
The evaluation is also ordered to issue recommendations on the implementation of the Pink Alert Plan and it is ordered to explore ways to improve care for vulnerable victims through the specialized divisions of the Department of Justice.
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Taking into account that on multiple occasions in cases of sexist violence there is an economic factor that does not allow the victim to have the necessary tools to get away Due to their situation of violence, the executive order obliges the Department of Economic Development and Commerce (DDEC) to create programs that encourage the integration of women into the workforce.
To raise awareness, educate and prevent sexist violence, the design and dissemination of media campaigns in alliance with private companies is instructed.
The PARE Committee must publish a first progress report within 45 days after the first meeting
and every 30 days for the duration of the order, which will be until June 30, 2022, extendable by the governor at the request of the PARE Committee.
Nurse Angie Noemí González Santos, 29, was reported last week as the first woman murdered a victim of sexist violence in 2021. The young woman died at the hands of her husband, Roberto Félix Rodríguez, with whom she had three daughters, according to El New day.
If you need help or guidance, contact the Gender Equity Observatory at 787 489-0022.
With information from El Vocero de Puerto Rico, El Nuevo Día and EFE, Telemundo Puerto Rico.
