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Havana tops the list of Cuban provinces with the highest number of sexual offenses brought to trial in 2024, according to a report from the National Office of Statistics and Information (ONEI), shared by the television center CNC, from Granma.
The capital recorded 51 legal proceedings related to sexual violence, followed by Las Tunas (22) and Granma (21), according to data published by the Observatory of Cuba on Gender Equality.
At the national level, the courts processed 230 cases of sexual violence, of which 120 were classified as sexual assault and 110 fell under other forms of violence.
The age group most affected was that of young people between 20 and 24 years old, with 122 victims, followed by adolescents aged 15 to 17, with 70 recorded cases.
Most of the incidents occurred in urban areas, highlighting a problem rooted in the more populated environments with vibrant nightlife.
A pattern of vulnerability
In recent years, social media has uncovered brutal sexual abuses that have shocked various communities.
In Santiago de Cuba, an attack that took place this month in the Veguita de Galo neighborhood highlighted the fragility of the mechanisms for prevention and control in the prison system.
In this incident, a repeat offender in sexual crimes, who was granted a prison pass, raped a young woman in broad daylight. The man, son of a well-known newspaper seller in the area, followed the victim and brutally attacked her during a blackout.
The girl managed to escape and take refuge in a nearby house, where she received assistance from the neighbors before the police intervened.
The justification given by the offender during the arrest—that the victim "was not a minor"—provoked widespread outrage in the community, which harshly questioned the judicial system for allowing repeat offenders to circulate freely with prison benefits.
This incident reopened the debate on the state's responsibility in the social reintegration of highly dangerous offenders and on the risks faced by women and girls in a context of increasing citizen insecurity, further marked by power outages and a lack of patrols.
In early January, in the José Martí District, also in Santiago de Cuba, another man was arrested accused of violently assaulting a 21-year-old woman with a machete.
According to reports, the alleged attacker had been released from prison months earlier and was on the run for a robbery at the Casa de la Cultura in San Pedrito.
Both episodes revealed a constant in sexual crimes on the Island: recidivism, a lack of supervision, and the collapse of penitentiary control mechanisms.
For many citizens, these institutional failures translate into a daily danger for women, who face vulnerable situations in unprotected public spaces that lack proper lighting.
The debt with a Comprehensive Law against Gender Violence
The figures from ONEI come at a time when independent feminist organizations are denouncing the lack of a Comprehensive Law Against Gender Violence in Cuba.
Despite the fact that Article 85 of the Constitution recognizes that domestic violence is destructive and punishable, the country remains the only one in the Western Hemisphere without specific legislation that comprehensively protects women against this scourge.
Collectives such as the Cuban Alliance for Inclusion and the Women's Network of Cuba have promoted campaigns like #UnitedForOurRights, even presenting proposals to international bodies. However, the Cuban regime refuses to move toward such regulations.
Feminist organizations demand that local legislation be aligned with international human rights standards, that the criminal justice system be reformed to prioritize the needs of victims, that specialized police stations with female staff be created, and that shelters for women facing violence be established.
A crisis that goes beyond the statistical
The situation worsens with the gender violence figures confirmed by independent observatories so far in 2025: 27 femicides, one murder of a man for gender-related reasons and three attempts of femicide, in addition to four ongoing investigations.
The accumulation of official statistics, citizen testimonies, and recent cases demonstrates that sexual violence in Cuba is not only a criminal issue but also a reflection of institutional fragility, the lack of effective public policies, and the absence of a comprehensive legal framework.
While Havana tops the list of provinces with the highest number of trials for sexual offenses, activists and citizens share a common demand: without urgent legal reforms, real prevention, and an efficient justice system, women and girls will remain exposed to an increasing danger throughout the country.
Frequently Asked Questions about Sexual Violence and Insecurity in Cuba
How many cases of sexual crimes were judged in Cuba during 2024?
In 2024, Cuban courts processed 230 cases of sexual violence, of which 120 were classified as sexual assault and 110 fell under other forms of violence. Havana led the statistics with 51 judicial proceedings related to sexual violence.
What age groups are most affected by sexual violence in Cuba?
The age group most affected by sexual violence in Cuba is that of young people aged 20 to 24, with 122 victims, followed by adolescents aged 15 to 17, with 70 recorded cases. The majority of these incidents occurred in urban areas.
Why is the Cuban judicial system criticized in relation to sexual offenses?
The Cuban judicial system is criticized for its inability to prevent the reoffending of sexual offenders, as evidenced by the case of an attacker in Santiago de Cuba who was granted a prison pass and went on to commit another crime. The lack of supervision and effective control over repeat offenders is one of the main criticisms of the Cuban judicial system.
Is there a Comprehensive Law against Gender Violence in Cuba?
Cuba does not have a Comprehensive Law against Gender Violence, despite the demands of feminist organizations and the need to harmonize local legislation with international human rights standards. This has led to strong criticism of the regime for not prioritizing the comprehensive protection of women.
What is the relationship between criminality and the social and economic context in Cuba?
Crime in Cuba is closely tied to social and economic deterioration, where factors such as food scarcity and economic collapse contribute to the rise in thefts and other crimes. The perception of insecurity increases due to the ineffectiveness of security forces, which focus more on political repression than on protecting the citizenry.
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