Bill > HR6301

This bill directs the Comptroller General (the head of the Government Accountability Office) to conduct a comprehensive study on gender-based violence in Puerto Rico, examining its causes, prevalence, and systemic drivers. The study will investigate various aspects of gender-based violence, including its different forms, occurrence settings, and demographic patterns, with a specific focus on understanding how factors like natural disasters, economic crises, and the COVID-19 pandemic have impacted violence rates. The research will involve actively engaging local organizations, including women's groups, LGBTQIA+ advocates, survivor-led initiatives, and academic researchers, to ensure a culturally informed and community-centered approach. The study will assess institutional responses, barriers to prevention and justice, data infrastructure, and governmental policies related to gender-based violence. The Comptroller General is required to produce an interim report within 270 days and a final report within 540 days of the bill's enactment, which must be published in both English and Spanish and include evidence-based recommendations for improving prevention strategies, institutional responses, and data collection systems. The bill aims to address the serious public health and human rights crisis of gender-based violence in Puerto Rico by providing a comprehensive, data-driven assessment that can inform future policy and programming.

Justice

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/6301/all-info