Puerto Rico Gender-Based Violence Response Snapshot (2021-2026)

Funding, Outcomes, & Opportunities for Reform

by Karla Hernández, Gerald Ericksen, Giodalys Dávila, Esq., & Irene Ericksen, M.S.

Despite approximately $60 million in public funding allocated since Puerto Rico declared a State of Emergency for gender-based violence in 2021, femicides have increased 42%, sexual assault rates have tripled, and only 7% of sexual assault cases result in a conviction. The investments are being made — but the outcomes are not following.

Our latest report, developed through the Advocacy and Accountability Project, examines the funding landscape, criminal justice outcomes, and accountability gaps in Puerto Rico's gender-based violence response since 2021. We analyze where the money is going, why key violence indicators continue to worsen, and what structural reforms are needed to ensure that public resources translate into measurable progress for victims and communities.

Read the full report, originally published on Medium, here: Puerto Rico Gender-Based Violence Response Snapshot (2021–2026): Funding, Outcomes, and Opportunities for Reform