They facilitate access to data on femicides in Puerto Rico

Forty feminicides were reported in Puerto Rico between 2021 and 2022

April 26, 2023. San Juan, Puerto Rico. The Puerto Rico Statistics Institute (Institute), through its Platform for Statistics and Indicators on Gender Violence, created a new section entitled “Femicide Statistics”, in order to facilitate access to data that allows, among others, the development of better strategies in the fight against violence against women. This was announced by the executive director of the Institute, Dr. Orville M. Disdier, who indicated that “this tool will allow greater visibility of statistics on femicide in Puerto Rico, as well as frequent and direct updates of the data.” This new section, like the other sections related to statistics on gender-based violence, is available at: Statistics on Gender-based Violence in Puerto Rico.

According to Mariluz Bezares, Manager of Statistical Projects at the Institute and Coordinator of the Puerto Rico Violent Death Notification System (PRVDRS), 23 femicides were registered in Puerto Rico in 2021 and 17 femicides were registered in 2022, for a total of 40. In 2021, six (6) of every 10 homicides of women were femicides and in 2022, three (3) of every 10 homicides of women were femicides.

Other data that emerges from this new tool include:

• Victims of femicide by firearms
  • In 2021, 61% of intimate femicides were with firearms.
  • In 2022, 77% of intimate femicides were with firearms.
• Intimate femicides by age group
  • In 2021, 61% of intimate femicides occurred among women aged 25 to 44.
  • In 2022, 54% of intimate femicides occurred among women aged 45 to 64.
• Nine (9) is the total number of femicides between 2021 and 2022 where the aggressor committed suicide after killing the victim.
  • Of these, eight (8) were in the context of intimate femicide and one (1) was in the context of family femicide.
• As of March of this year 2023, a total of four (4) cases of femicide have been registered.
• Of every 100,000 women living in Puerto Rico, two (2) died as a result of homicide.
• Violent deaths of women:
  • In 2021, there were 67 violent deaths of women and one (1) death of a trans person.
  • In 2022, 84 violent deaths of women were recorded.
• In 2022, 63% of women's violent deaths were due to homicide, and 36% were due to suicide.
• In 2022, there was one (1) undetermined violent death.
• In 2021, there was one (1) homicide of a trans man that is not related to gender reasons.
• In 2021, 50% of homicides of women were between the ages of 25 and 44.
• In 2022, 53% of female homicides occurred among women between 25 and 44 years old.

“At the Institute, we remain committed and are determined to explore all possible options and use innovative technology to support efforts to combat gender-based violence in Puerto Rico. It is essential to have accurate and up-to-date information on gender-based violence to design effective public policies that protect women and promote gender inclusion and equity in our society. “, said Disdier.

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 that are quickly and universally accessible. 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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