May 5, 2021 –
More than 100 days have passed since the executive declaration of a state of emergency due to the epidemic of gender-based violence across Puerto Rico. Eighteen women have been murdered since the beginning of 2021, and activists from the Puerto Rican organization Colectiva Feminista en Acción report that, statistically, if this pattern continues, a femicide will occur every seven days.
The tragedy of finding the bodies of two women last week underscores, once again, the need for proactive action from all sectors of society. Feminist organizations in our country have reiterated the need to address gender-based violence comprehensively. This would include tackling the problem through education, improving institutional responses, utilizing statistics, and ensuring adequate care for survivors, among other measures. A united effort among organizations and a multi-sectoral approach are essential to eradicating this problem.
Environmental justice, or the lack thereof, significantly influences the incidence of gender-related issues. This is relevant within the framework of social justice and the disproportionate impact that different identities—whether based on race, gender, or class—experience due to the physical quality of their environment. Environmental justice seeks to reduce and prevent environmental degradation and the inequities it causes in marginalized communities. These communities include people of color, women, Indigenous people, transgender people, and people living in disadvantaged areas, among others.
Historically, women, particularly those from marginalized groups, have led the environmental movement. They have frequently faced patterns of violence and oppression, in addition to the disproportionate effects of environmental degradation on their communities.
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, studies show a direct link between environmental stressors and gender-based violence. Sexual abuse, domestic violence, verbal abuse, harassment, and economic deprivation, among others, reinforce inequality, privilege, and control over available resources. Gender is a crucial element within the concept of environmental injustice. Women's vulnerability to gender-based violence and environmental injustices is directly proportional, and one can exacerbate the other.
The World Bank estimates that 34% of women worldwide have experienced abuse, whether physical or sexual, from intimate or non-intimate partners. Up to 38% of murders of women are committed by intimate partners. In Puerto Rico, over 5,000 domestic violence complaints were reported to the police in 2020. Eighty-four percent of these cases were reported by women. By December 29, 2020, approximately 60 femicides had been recorded on the island, a dramatic increase from the 37 recorded by the same date in 2019 (Amnesty International).
Gender-based violence undermines conservation efforts and environmental justice claims by disadvantaged communities. Estuario is a non-profit organization working to conserve and restore water quality and the ecosystems that comprise the San Juan Bay Estuary system and watershed. Our team recognizes the crucial role that gender equity plays in any effort of this nature. Therefore, Estuario joins other institutions in condemning gender-based violence and is committed to taking action against any instance of it.
After Hurricane Maria, Estuario launched a long-term project aimed at building resilient communities. Part of these efforts is a Risk Mitigation Plan designed to reduce the vulnerabilities faced by disadvantaged communities in the face of natural and man-made disasters. Studies show that climate change-related disasters exacerbate the frequency of gender-based violence as access to vital resources decreases.
The Estuary's initiatives and projects take into account the interests and concerns of communities in need of environmental justice within the San Juan Bay Estuary system. We promote public inclusion and participation in project planning processes, as well as easy access to information, as part of our agenda.
We offer our solidarity to the victims of gender-based violence and their families and pledge to use every possible means and resource to implement concrete change. We will achieve this through education, the use of cultural initiatives, and the inclusion of relevant sectors, such as state and federal institutions, and, most importantly, community-based organizations that promote equity and justice.
