What is the declaration of emergency for gender-based violence?

The declaration of a state of emergency due to gender violence, issued today by Governor Pedro Pierluisi Urrutia, establishes responsibilities and orders the implementation of various measures to try to curb the incidence in Puerto Rico.

Here are 12 important points of the executive order issued by the governor.

Compliance officer

The governor shall designate a public official as a compliance officer who shall report directly to him, and who shall devote himself full time to the execution of this executive order, in addition to the administrative aspects of the anti-violence committee to be set up. This includes, but is not limited to, monitoring, monitoring and monitoring the implementation of the measures provided for in the order.

READY Committee

The order creates the Committee for the Prevention, Support, Rescue and Education of Gender Violence which will recommend measures and policies. Its purpose will be to recommend measures and policies established to meet the objectives of the executive order. 17 members are appointed, and will be composed of several government agencies, which will send a representative; members of the private sector and non-profit organizations. This committee will be chaired by the Secretary of the Family, Carmen González Magaz, who has a master’s degree and doctorate from the University Carlos Albizu, being his boarding school and doctoral thesis on gender violence.

Mobile application

The order requires the Puerto Rico Innovation and Technology Service, in collaboration with the Department of Public Safety and the PARE Committee, to develop an application for mobile devices, through which victims and potential victims can only Request assistance quickly in emergency situations, hiding the message sent to protect the victim from their abuser.

Follow-up of victims

The order creates a follow-up program so that anyone with a gender-based violence protection order is contacted and / or visited by a law enforcement officer to verify their safety.

Complaints procedure

The Department of Public Security is ordered to improve the instruments for processing and registering complaints or denunciations and the status of progress of cases.

Agent training

Training is ordered for all law enforcement and government agency personnel relevant to the efforts of the PARE Committee.

Improving statistics

It provides process optimization for compiling reliable statistics on the incidence of gender-based violence

Rosa alert

It orders to evaluate and provide recommendations for the implementation of the protocol known as the “PINK ALERT Plan”, in accordance with Law no. 149-2019. This law was created at the end to have more mechanisms for the protection of missing or abducted women, to establish the powers and duties of government entities.

Evaluation of specialized divisions

It orders to evaluate the specialized divisions of the Department of Justice and to explore alternatives to attend with greater sensitivity and effectiveness of the cases with particularly vulnerable victims.

Economic development

The Department of Economic Development is ordered to evaluate and expand training and education programs for women that make their integration into the workforce possible.

Media campaigns

It orders effective media campaigns on gender-based violence in partnership with private enterprise.

See the executive order here: