Gender-based violence through electronic means on the rise

At a summit in the island Legislature, the Puerto Rico Police Bureau’s Cyber Crimes Division said it has received more than 500 complaints this year related to gender-based violence committed through electronic means, a number that is on track to surpass the 701 cases reported in 2024.

By THE STAR STAFF

The Puerto Rico Police Bureau’s Cyber Crimes Division has received more than 500 complaints this year related to gender-based violence committed through electronic means. Authorities expect the total number of complaints to surpass the 701 cases reported in 2024.

The alarming figures were presented during the first summit aimed at addressing the challenges the island justice system faces in the age of technology and artificial intelligence. The event was spearheaded by Rep. José “Che” Pérez Cordero, who chairs the House Judiciary Committee.

“The use of artificial intelligence, particularly generative AI, is rapidly increasing across all sectors of society, including criminal activity,” Pérez Cordero said. “Today, the police have laid out a troubling picture. These are significant numbers that show how criminal elements are increasingly using digital platforms to carry out their offenses.”

The statistics were provided by Police Lt. Luis Maldonado, director of the Cyber Crimes Division. Pérez Cordero emphasized the need for legislative action and pledged to work closely with law enforcement to support efforts to curb the rise in cybercrime.

The summit, held in the Leopoldo Figueroa hearing room at the Capitol, brought together key government officials including Insp. Gen. Ivelisse Rivera, Luis Pérez from the Office of Government Ethics, and Carlos Rivera Justiniano, legislative adviser to Gov. Jenniffer González Colón.

Also in attendance were Reps. José Aponte Hernández of the New Progressive Party, Lissie Burgos Muñiz of the Dignity Project party and Ramón Torres Cruz of the Popular Democratic Party; Sen. Ángel Toledo López, chairman of the Senate Judiciary and Government Committee; and Senate Vice President Carmelo Ríos Santiago, who co-chairs the Joint Committee for the Continuous Review of the Penal and Civil Codes alongside Pérez Cordero.

Participating agencies included the Department of Justice, Puerto Rico Innovation and Technology Service, Office of Courts Administration, Department of Public Safety, Institute of Forensic Sciences, Puerto Rico Bar Association, University of Puerto Rico School of Law, Civil Rights Commission, Office of Human Resources Management and Transformation, Legislative Services Office, Puerto Rico Bar Association, Office of Management and Budget, and Fiscal Agency and Financial Advisory Authority.