The Presbiterio de San Juan, a Puerto Rican presbytery of the Presbyterian Church (USA), issued an open letter on May 8 calling on the Church to “unite our voices against gender-based violence in Puerto Rico both in public demonstrations and from our pulpits.”

Despite years of ongoing advocacy by civil rights activists and social justice advocates, violence against women in Puerto Rico remains an ongoing issue. According to the civil rights coalition Observatorio de Equidad de Género, at least 60 women were killed last year in Puerto Rico, a 62% increase in femicides compared to the previous year.

In response to the letter, the PC(USA)’s Advocacy Committee for Women’s Concerns (ACWC) produced a joint solidarity statement and call to the Church at large, stating: “Following the lead and hearing the voices of our Puerto Rican siblings, we are calling upon the Presbyterian Church (USA) to stand firm in our commitment ‘to provide leadership in creating a just and compassionate society’ in response to this violation of women’s safety, nurture, care, and freedom from abuse and violence.”

(Gail Strange, Presbyterian News Service)

For more news follow us at www.lifeandwork.org