Puerto Rico has recorded 62 femicides and 2 transfemicides this year
Gender Equity Observatory: Recent surge amplifies need to reinforce prevention,
education efforts
By THE STAR STAFF
Puerto Rico has recorded 62 femicides and two trans homicides so far this year, according to the Gender Equity Observatory, which warned that a recent surge in gender-based killings underscores the need for education and prevention efforts across the island.
Ilia Vázquez, a representative of the organization, said November has been particularly alarming, with three femicides registered during the month alone. The Observatory currently classifies 10 of this year’s cases as intimate femicides, meaning the victims were allegedly killed by current or former partners.
“The month of November has been extremely difficult. This is the third femicide that has been recorded,” Vázquez said. “When we add the total number of femicides so far this year, the figure rises to 62.”
The organization is still evaluating recent deaths in Ponce, Guaynabo and Yabucoa to determine whether they meet the criteria for classification as femicides. In addition to the cases involving women, the Observatory has documented two trans homicides this year.
The latest figures come just days after authorities investigated the killing of a woman allegedly at the hands of her partner, a case that has renewed concerns about the persistence of intimate partner violence in Puerto Rico. The homicide marked the latest in a series of gender-based killings that advocacy groups say highlight systemic failures in prevention, intervention and public education efforts.
Vázquez said educational initiatives rooted in gender equity remain essential to addressing the problem.
“We will always advocate for education from a gender-equity perspective,” she said. “It is not simply about respecting another human being. It is about understanding that no person has more or less value because of how they think, live, their sexual orientation, gender identity, race, ethnicity or any other characteristic.”
She added that the recent femicide and the two transfemicides reported within a 24-hour period raise troubling questions about prejudice, control and violence.
“At what point does someone decide that another person no longer has the right to live because they are different, because they no longer want to be in a relationship, or because they choose a different path?” Vázquez said. “That is something that must be transformed.”
Advocates have repeatedly called on government agencies, schools and community organizations to strengthen prevention programs and improve support services for victims of domestic violence. They argue that while prosecutions are important, long-term reductions in violence will require cultural and educational changes aimed at promoting gender equality and respect for human dignity.
According to the Observatory, the continuing rise in femicides remains one of Puerto Rico’s most pressing public safety and human rights challenges, with advocacy groups urging authorities to treat each case as part of a broader pattern of gender-based violence rather than as isolated incidents.
