Persistent inequalities against women workers in Puerto Rico
The 2020 Census indicates that women make up 52.6% of the total population of Puerto Rico and that, starting from the age of 25, the female population exceeds that of men in all age classifications. On the other hand, data from the Worker Group Survey of the Department of Labor and Human Resources in October […]
November 25: Femicides and manifestations of gender violence
During the first feminist meeting in 1981, held in Colombia, the assembled feminists proposed that November 25 be commemorated as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, in remembrance of the murder of the Mirabal sisters in the Dominican Republic in 1960. In 1987, under Law No. 18 of May 17, 1987, […]
The social organization of caregiving in Puerto Rico
Our childhood has social and economic rights that protect and nurture them to ensure optimal development and a fulfilling life. Within the framework of these rights, the state must implement measures to promote their well-being, combat poverty, and provide protection and security. We must join forces to promote care and love as a fundamental right […]
The oppressive system of the patriarchal ideology in Puerto Rico
The vast majority of people wonder why there are so many cases of gender-based violence and why increasingly repulsive manifestations are observed. The cases of femicides, sexual assaults, incest, and domestic violence that we have witnessed in recent months can be understood based on what is known as the patriarchal ideology. Read more in Spanish.
The extended tragedy of femicides
The violent deaths of two children of a woman who was threatened with death by her ex-partner, identified as the perpetrator, which occurred in Guayanilla last Saturday, is a tragic example of the dimensions of gender-based violence and its impact on families and our communities. Read more in Spanish.
Supreme Court decision in Puerto Rico sheds light on obstetric violence
A recent decision by the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico brings visibility to obstetric violence, a practice that is not often discussed despite being another variant of the gender-based violence crisis in the country. It turns what should be a special moment in any mother’s life into a nightmare. Read more in Spanish.
Gender Perspective or a rip off
“The popular saying “that’s a rip off” is used when there is a deliberate deception and with total intention when giving an article or providing a service different from the one that had been agreed upon at the beginning.” Read more in Spanish.
Puerto Rican anti-racist awakening: achievements and challenges 2021
“Mariluz Franco Ortiz, a researcher at the Interdisciplinary Research Institute of the UPR in Cayey, is co-author of this column. 2021 has been one of important achievements for the anti-racist fight in Puerto Rico. We learned that the majority of the Puerto Rican population no longer identifies as “white” in the 2020 federal population census, […]
Without funds the organizations that provide services to victims of gender-based violence
“We are at a critical moment because it is usually a high season in cases of gender-based violence, and the outlook has become more complicated with the rise in cases of COVID-19. Our organizations have stood out for being the first line of action and this moment is no exception. We are concerned that some […]
Héctor O’Neill case: a slap in the face of women
The case against O’Neill Garcia began four years ago with 13 charges involving two women. During that period, accusations were dismissed. The delay of the judicial processes, the slowness of the justice system and the constant suspensions of the case have prevailed. Read more in Spanish.
Feminist Philanthropy: a challenge to power structures
Feminist philanthropy is an act of politics that seeks to challenge and transform notions of power and privilege. The financial support provided is not isolated, but focuses on the collective empowerment of organizations. Read more in Spanish.
Andrea Ruiz Costas: from pain, frustration and questioning
To bring true justice, one must have precise knowledge about the dynamics of power and control of gender violence and know how it affects the self-determination of a survivor. Read more in Spanish.
Gabby Petito Case: Identifying Signs of Gender-based Violence
The case of Gabby Petito, a young American who documented her journey through the Western United States with her boyfriend on social media, has received extensive coverage across all media. She was reported missing by her family on September 11, and her body was found on September 19. According to FBI reports, Gabby Petito was […]
Defining femicide and transfemicide, on the right path
This new law comes in response to the complaints made by women’s and feminist organizations in Puerto Rico regarding the demonstrated incapacity of government agencies to thoroughly investigate and document femicides and transfemicides. Without accurately collecting information, the magnitude of gender-based violence cannot be assessed, and proposing actions for its eradication becomes challenging. Read more […]
Andrea Ruiz Costas case: The system continues to fail Us
No matter from which angle we look at the case of gender-based violence involving the confessed killer of Andrea Ruiz Costas, Miguel Ocasio Santiago, who allegedly committed suicide in a maximum-security institution, everything continues to indicate that Puerto Rico has a system marked by impunity and lack of transparency. The death of the aggressor/killer does […]
PARE: a decisive and progressive step
The news fills us with hope: Governor Pedro Pierluisi has appointed five feminist women’s organizations, along with representatives from academia and the press, to support and ensure compliance with Executive Order OE 2021-13, which declared a state of emergency for gender-based violence on January 25. Read more in Spanish.
Undoing inequality in Puerto Rico
The rules of conduct, social norms, that is, the understandings in community life, are established by those who hold power at any given time. Slaves in democratic Greece did not participate in the life of the polis. Neither did the naborias in Taino practices, nor do the untouchables in India today. But if historical research […]
More democracy by voting for women
Democracy, as defined by Abraham Lincoln in his Gettysburg Address, is “government of the people, by the people, for the people.” It is worthwhile to clarify the meanings of these components and their importance. Read more in Spanish.
Women: two proposals towards the future
Much has changed since women began their journey up the steep slope of political participation. From the achievement of the right to vote to the election to the highest elective offices, however, progress has been very slow and has taken too long. The process has faced strong opposition from various sectors that have created and […]
They provide assistance to immigrant women amid the pandemic
The Puerto Rico Women’s Foundation and Supermercados Selectos joined forces to support 50 immigrant women and their families, providing them with certificates for the purchase of food and hygiene products. Read more in Spanish.
In the face of abandonment and negligence: feminist solidarity
There are organizations in Puerto Rico led by women and created to address the multiple and varied needs of women: the impact of poverty and violence in their lives, discrimination, and exclusion from positions of power, as well as the negative effects of biased public policies. They work tirelessly, some for several decades, and thus […]
