Updated data on femicide in Puerto Rico

Announcements
IEPR
19 December 2025

Updated data on femicide in Puerto Rico

Fifty-nine femicides were reported in Puerto Rico between 2021 and 2023

November 9, 2023. San Juan, Puerto Rico. The Puerto Rico Statistics Institute (Institute), updated the data on femicide in Puerto Rico, presented in the section entitled “Femicide Statistics”, through its Platform for Statistics and Indicators on Gender Violence (See: https://estadisticas.pr/en/Comite-Pare). According to Mariluz Bezares, Manager of Statistical Projects at the Institute and Coordinator of the Puerto Rico Violent Death Notification System (PRVDRS), in 2023, six (6) of every 10 homicides of women were femicides (60%). Other highlights from this update include:

  • In 2023, 87% of intimate femicides were with firearms (In 2021, 61% of intimate femicides were with firearms and in 2022, 77% of intimate femicides were with firearms).
  • In 2023, 53% of intimate femicides occurred among women aged 25 to 44 (In 2021, 61% of intimate femicides occurred among women aged 25 to 44 and in 2022 54% were among women aged 45 to 64).
  • Thirteen (13) is the total number of femicides between 2021 and 2023 where the aggressor committed suicide after killing the victim.
    • Of these, thirteen (13) were in the context of intimate femicide and one (1) was in the context of family femicide. From January to September 2023, five (5) were in the intimate context.
  • As of September 2023, a total of nineteen (19) cases of femicide have been registered.
  • In 2023, 55 violent deaths of women were recorded (In 2021, 67 violent deaths of women and one (1) death of a trans person were recorded, and in 2022 there were 84 violent deaths of women).
  • In 2023, 52% of women's violent deaths were due to homicide, and 42% were due to suicide.
  • In 2023, 50% of female homicides occurred among women between 25 and 44 years old.

The data collected and presented by the Institute arise in part as a result of collaboration with various entities, including the Puerto Rico Police Bureau, the Institute of Forensic Sciences and the Demographic Registry of the Department of Health.

The Puerto Rico Statistics Institute is a governmental entity in the executive branch, with fiscal and administrative autonomy, whose main purpose is to ensure that Puerto Rico has complete, reliable statistics with quick and universal access. To learn more about the Institute of Statistics, you can access the website: www.estadisticas.pr. On social media through Facebook (@estadisticas .pr), Twitter (@EstadisticasPR), Instagram (@institutodeestadisticas) and LinkedIn (Institute of Statistics of Puerto Rico) accounts.

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Agreement reached to examine drastic changes in 2005 mortality statistics

Agreement reached to examine drastic changes in 2005 mortality statistics

Graduates in creative disciplines increase by 26%

San Juan, Puerto Rico. May 6, 2025. The number of graduates in creative disciplines in Puerto Rico increased by 26.4% between 2021 and 2022, according to the Puerto Rico Creative Industries Report 2021-2022 published by the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics. The report notes that 1,930 people graduated in 2022 from programs related to art, design, technology and media, with baccalaureate being the most common degree (56.2%), and graphic design the discipline with the most graduates (20.6%). This compared to 1,527 who graduated in 2021.

This educational growth, together with a 5% increase in the number of creative establishments that reached 2,227 in 2022, outlines a dynamic landscape for this key sector in Puerto Rico's economic diversification and innovation. However, the report also documents an 11.3% drop in employment in these industries, with 14,550 people employed in 2022 compared to 16,415 in the previous year. Other findings from the report include:

Creative Establishments

  • 68.5% of the establishments are small businesses with between 1 and 4 employees.
  • Distribution by sector: Art (36.3%), Media (30.6%) and Creative Services (26.4%).

Opportunities

  • The increase in graduates and new businesses reflects a growing academic offering and greater interest in creative careers.
  • Sectors such as technology and advertising offer competitive salaries to attract and retain talent.

Identified Challenges

  • 86% of establishments are micro-enterprises with less than 10 employees.
  • Gender gaps persist, especially in high-paying sectors, where female representation is low.
  • There is a geographical concentration of companies in municipalities with greater purchasing power, with peripheral areas lagging behind.
  • Trade deficit: the value of imports triples that of exports, although there are signs of improvement.

Despite the challenges, the report highlights significant opportunities, such as a robust academic offering and competitive salaries in technological and advertising areas.

“Creative industries integrate culture, technology, innovation and entrepreneurship, making them a strategic economic sector for Puerto Rico,” said Francisco Pesante, Manager of Statistical Projects and author of the report. “This report puts into perspective the need to strengthen public policies, invest in specialized training and support small businesses in the creative sector, to ensure inclusive and sustainable economic growth, and promote Puerto Rico's competitiveness,” said Dr. Pesante.

The full report is available at: Creative-Industries-In-Puerto Rico-2021-2022

The Puerto Rico Statistics Institute is an autonomous governmental entity responsible for coordinating the Government's statistical production service to ensure that the data collection and statistics systems, on which public policies are based, are complete, reliable, and have quick and universal access.

For more information you can write to preguntas@estadisticas.pr. They can also follow social networks through Facebook (@estadisticas .pr), X (@EstadisticasPR), LinkedIn (Institute of Statistics of Puerto Rico) and Instagram (@institutodeestadisticas) accounts.

Platform will measure Puerto Rico's agricultural production index

Platform will measure Puerto Rico's agricultural production index

Thousands of farmers and citizens are expected to benefit from this tool.

April 19, 2023. The Puerto Rico Statistics Institute presented a new tool that will facilitate access to agricultural statistics and will allow us to know which products within local agriculture are in greater or lower demand in Puerto Rico. The platform of Statistics and Indicators of Agricultural Production in Puerto Rico, whose primary source of data was provided by the Department of Agriculture, and which will benefit thousands of farmers and citizens, includes: Production and Demand indices for tubers, meat, farinaceae, fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, milk and dairy products. As for production rates, the platform allows us to know aspects such as export vs. import. The demand indices, on the other hand, include data on per capita consumption vs. per capita production. The tool also includes agricultural statistics such as agricultural activities, losses and producers of small ruminants, as well as a metadata area for the definition of concepts. This platform, as reported, collects data from 1990 to 2021 and its constant updating will allow us to compare how the production of products such as Chinese, bananas, coffee, among others, behaves.

One of the aspects highlighted by the platform of Statistics and Indicators of Agricultural Production in Puerto Rico is the decline in local coffee production. According to data obtained by the Puerto Rico Department of Agriculture, in 1990 local coffee production was 280,000 quintals, while in 2020 production decreased to 28,943 quintals. According to Manuel Mangual Martínez, Data and Statistics Specialist and Project Supervisor at the Institute, this decrease in production could, among other things, be the result of situations such as the passage of Hurricane Maria, which caused significant coffee losses since 2017, reaching its lowest point in 2019 with a production of 12,127 quintals.

“For several reasons, access to agricultural statistical information in Puerto Rico has been an enormous challenge for farmers, researchers and the general public. With this platform, the Institute provides all citizens, and especially farmers, with fast and universal access to data and statistics on food production and demand in Puerto Rico, in one place, accessible 24/7 from anywhere in the world. Access to these statistics will make it easier to make decisions based on empirical evidence, that promote food security in Puerto Rico,” said the Executive Director of the Institute, Dr. Orville M. Disdier Flores. Dr. Disdier also reported that the platform will continue to evolve and will have more information in the future.

The platform of Statistics and Indicators of Agricultural Production in Puerto Rico is available through the following link: Puerto Rico Agricultural Production Statistics and Index.

The Puerto Rico Statistics Institute is a governmental entity in the executive branch, with fiscal and administrative autonomy, whose main purpose is to ensure that Puerto Rico has complete, reliable statistics that are quickly and universally accessible. To learn more about the Institute of Statistics, you can access the website: www.estadisticas.pr.gov. On social media through Facebook accounts (@statistics.pr), Twitter (@EstadisticasPR), Instagram (@institutodeestadisticas) and LinkedIn (Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics).