![Mercadox390_3](https://www.advocate.com/media-library/mercadox390-3.jpg?id=32723831&width=1200&height=876)
CONTACTStaffCAREER OPPORTUNITIESADVERTISE WITH USPRIVACY POLICYPRIVACY PREFERENCESTERMS OF USELEGAL NOTICE
© 2024 Pride Publishing Inc.
All Rights reserved
All Rights reserved
By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Private Policy and Terms of Use.
The government of Puerto Rico is launching a special committee to examine the island's recent spate of hate crimes against its LGBT residents.
Attorney General Guillermo Somoza Colombani announced the committee on Saturday, eight years after legislation was passed to establish harsher penalties for those who commit hate crimes based on sexual orientation or gender identity, according to the Associated Press. He also said the data will help develop policies to attend to victims of such crimes.
Pedro Julio Serrano, who was born in Puerto Rico and is now a spokesman for the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, says that at least 25 murders of LGBT people have been motivated by sexual orientation or gender identity bias since the law was passed in 2002. One of the high-profile murders was of 19-year-old Jorge Steven Lopez Mercado, who was beheaded and partially burned in November. His murderer, Juan Antonio Martinez Matos, confessed to murdering him, and was sentenced in May to serving 99 years in jail.
Want more breaking equality news & trending entertainment stories?
Check out our NEW 24/7 streaming service: the Advocate Channel!
Download the Advocate Channel App for your mobile phone and your favorite streaming device!
From our Sponsors
Most Popular
Meet all 37 of the queer women in this season's WNBA
April 17 2024 11:24 AM
Here are the 15 gayest travel destinations in the world: report
March 26 2024 9:23 AM
21+ steamy photos of Scotland’s finest gay men in Elska Glasgow
February 01 2024 10:07 PM
More Than 50 of Our Favorite LGBTQ+ Moms
May 12 2024 11:44 AM
Conjoined twins Lori Schappell and trans man George Schappell dead at 62
April 27 2024 6:13 PM
Latest Stories
Elon Musk’s comments about his trans daughter prove why she doesn’t speak to him
July 23 2024 9:16 AM
Nancy Pelosi endorses Kamala Harris for president
July 22 2024 4:07 PM
Charli XCX declares Kamala Harris IS brat & our next President's campaign agrees
July 22 2024 3:08 PM
Pete Buttigieg roasts JD Vance and his gay tech bro billionaire
July 22 2024 1:42 PM
The AIDs pandemic can be ended by 2030, but governments must act: report
July 22 2024 1:01 PM
Conservatives' first attack on Kamala Harris: Pronouns and accessibility?
July 22 2024 12:45 PM
Advancing equality during Disability Pride Month
July 22 2024 11:30 AM