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Senator Marissa “Marissita” Jiménez Santoni from the Carolina District revealed on Tuesday her plans to identify a location within the municipality of Carolina to establish a temporary refuge for women who have experienced violence, aiming to ease the overpopulation within the existing shelter network, which is currently accommodating over 500 women and their children, all victims of maltreatment.
“The information indicating that more than 500 women and their children have sought shelter in facilities for survivors of abuse from January to October this year […] is alarming and highlights the pressing need for a support system,” stated the senator from the New Progressive Party. “Consequently, we will examine the possibility of establishing a temporary refuge for these women and their children in the Carolina region to enhance the shelter network.”
Jiménez mentioned that she is searching for a building, potentially an inactive school, to develop a temporary shelter comprising at least 10 rooms, which will be linked to the Department of Justice’s Office of Compensation and Services for Victims and Witnesses of Crime.
“We are assessing a facility that can provide at least 10 rooms and also … will offer a safe environment for the victims and their children until the Housing Department can find suitable accommodations for them,” she explained. “It is unacceptable that there are insufficient beds to accommodate victims of various forms of abuse among others. Carolina, being one of the most expansive cities in the metropolitan area, would allow us to provide these victims with a secure location within the region.”
Currently, it is estimated that there are around 170 beds accessible in Puerto Rico for victims and their offspring.
“This initiative is a component of our legislative agenda for the upcoming four years,” Jiménez commented. “After we take our oaths in January, we plan to introduce legislation aimed at pinpointing a structure for this temporary shelter’s establishment, in addition to securing the necessary funds for its refurbishment and operation.”
