As a result of Honduran government efforts in close cooperation with the United States, homicide rates have fallen from 86.0 per 100,000 residents in 2012 to 43.6 per 100,000 at the end of 2019. Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula, La Ceiba) have homicide rates higher than the national average, as do several Honduran departments (a geographic designation like U.S. States), including Atlntida, Coln, Corts, San Pedro Sula, Tegucigalpa, and Yoro. U.S. citizens are encouraged to be vigilant of their surroundings at all times, especially when entering or exiting their homes, cars, garages, schools, and workplaces. The U.S. Department of State has assessed Tegucigalpa as being a CRITICAL-threat location for crime directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests. The U.S. Embassy estimates at least 30,000 U.S. citizens reside in Honduras. Authorities convicted two government officials, one on pimping charges and one for paid sexual relations, for their involvement in sex trafficking crimes in 2017. Honduras crime rate & statistics for 2020 was 36.33, a 13.52% decline from 2019. Nine significant tropical storms/hurricanes since 1995 have affected Honduras. This is a common practice for most automobile accidents where personal injury occurs, and for cases in which someone is accused of a criminal act. Since 1995, 115 U.S. citizens were reported murdered in Honduras; of these, just 32 cases have been resolved. While hurricane winds are a concern, much of the damage to infrastructure comes as a result of the ensuing flooding and rock/mudslides. Honduras Crime Rate & Statistics 1990-2023, Honduras crime rate & statistics for 2020 was, Honduras crime rate & statistics for 2019 was, Honduras crime rate & statistics for 2018 was, Honduras crime rate & statistics for 2017 was. During 2019, multiple vehicles belonging to U.S. and Honduran employees of the U.S. Embassy were burglarized and/or vandalized on side streets around the Embassy compound. Title insurance is not widely available in Honduras and approximately 80% of the privately held land in the country is either untitled or improperly titled. This amount was an increase from 5.53 million lempiras ($221,400) provided in 2019, though officials reported they lacked adequate financial and human resources to provide comprehensive victim care, support victims throughout the country, and collect and analyze victim data. UNODC works on the development of standards for national crime and criminal justice information systems and for the conduct of victimization surveys. Is Honduras Safe to Travel Alone Traveling solo is becoming more popular and within Latin America, more people including myself have set out to travel alone. This is the second consecutive year that the murder rate falls below 40 per 100,000 population since 2014, which. Officials flew Garza, a 48-year-old . 2.2. Discrimination occurs against ethnic minorities and the LGBTI+ community. The rainy season usually runs May-November. Crimes against U.S. citizens in the past year have ranged from petty theft to violent offenses, including armed robbery, home invasion, sexual assault, and several instances of murder and attempted murder. Authorities reported restrictions implemented to mitigate the pandemic impeded investigations in commercial venues where trafficking has been known to occur and slowed investigations and prosecutions of trafficking crimes. The police, along with the Ministry of Defenses Military Public Order Police (PMOP), routinely establish checkpoints and review documentation (e.g. Sources indicate that organized criminal organizations have been . Caption: UN Resident Coordinator in Honduras, Alice Shackelford meets with survivors at a local safe house. The events targeted members of at-risk groupsincluding children and students, individuals with disabilities, and indigenous personsas well as potential first responders and officials from key sectors such as education and tourism. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime 2011 Global Study on Homicide, Honduras has the highest per capita homicide rate in the world, with 86 homicides for every 100,000 inhabitants. Caption: On 25th November, women and men rallied together to raise awareness of the increasing femicide rates and growing violence against women and girls at a UN-supported event. The government maintained strong protection efforts, with CICESCTs immediate response team providing robust assistance to victims throughout the year. The government maintained prevention efforts. The ambulance does not have paramedics or emergency medical equipment; it functions solely as transport to hospitals. Contact OSACs Latin America team with any questions or to join. Review OSACs report, All That You Should Leave Behind. If you use our chart images on your site or blog, we ask that you provide attribution via a link back to this page. The government is implementing similar programs for other locations (e.g. Honduras has a high homicide rate, with a murder rate of 36 people per 100,000 in 2020. The government did not provide an update on its investigation of alleged sexual exploitation of a female prisoner in a correctional facility from the previous year. Honduras is a signatory to the International Labor Organizations 169 Convention, which requires free prior notice and informed consent from indigenous communities before any development projects can begin; the congress has not approved a law regulating this process. Honduras received support from the Millennium Challenge Corporation in the development of an e-procurement platform and public procurement auditing. Criminals and pickpockets target visitors as they enter and depart airports and hotels, so visitors should consider carrying their passports and valuables in a concealed pouch. Additionally, illegal drugs are for sale in many of the popular tourist areas during the evening hours. Intentional homicide does not include all intentional killing; the difference is usually in the organization of the killing. Extortion threats commonly originate through social engineering. Coxen Hole on the island of Roatan should be avoided after dark. The limited capacity of the government to enforce international standards related to natural resource exploitation has resulted in higher levels of conflict in the extractive and electrical generation industries. Preliminary Observations of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights on its Visit to Honduras - May 15 TO 18, 2010 Honduras: Human Rights and the Coup D' ETAT - Dec. 2009 Return to the Top of the Page Justice System Foreign Government Reports Canada Responses to Information Requests (RIRs) Honduras lacks the infrastructure to maintain water purity and food safety. CICESCT and the anti-trafficking prosecution unit each operated trafficking-specific hotlines that functioned throughout the pandemic. There is street crime even in gated communities commonly referred to locally as Barrio Seguros; these are generally safer areas in which to reside because of their heightened security measures. These areas are well known for narcotics smuggling and violence. There are no legal cases involving instances of terrorism affecting U.S. citizens or facilities brought before the Honduran judicial system, and no reports of judicial developments that would have a negative impact on U.S. counterterrorism efforts. UNODC collects data on crime and the operation of criminal justice systems in order to make policy-relevant information and analysis available in a timely manner to the international community. When possible, travel in groups. The government conducted law enforcement operations targeting irregular migration and increased border enforcement, leading to 160 arrests for smuggling crimes that increased migrants vulnerability to trafficking. In 2020,278 women were murdered in the countryand, as of November 2021, more than 240 women have lost their lives violently. As a result, criminals operate with a high degree of impunity. A review of crime statistics from the Honduran national police shows that violent crimes are more prevalent in the Departments of Francisco Morazn and Corts. A large number of media have distorted the populations perception on violence against women by informing about it in a way that makes it seems as if these are isolated cases, when the reality is that this is an endemic issue in the Honduran society. The government has a police investigative unit dedicated to investigating violent crimes against the LGBTI+ and other vulnerable communities, composed of Public Ministry prosecutors, members of ATIC (prosecutors investigative agency), and the Honduran National Police; however, it has limited resources and functions primarily in the major urban areas. Pilar Lagos, Allan Chan, and PaulVanDeCarrfrom the Development Coordination Office (DCO) provided editorial support. Dial 911 for emergency or call (504) 2232-4092. In 2021, almost 39 homicides were committed per 100,000 inhabitants in Honduras. These efforts included identifying more victims of labor trafficking, including children forced to commit unlawful acts, and increasing funding for the Inter-institutional Commission to Combat Commercial Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking in Persons (CICESCT). Cruise ship industry contacts report that approximately one million U.S. citizens enter the country by ship every year, primarily in Roatn, but also in La Ceiba on the northern coast. Embassy employees and others have experienced skimming at well- known restaurants, hotels, and retailers. In March 2019, the Honduran Government created the National Urban Transportation Security Force to combat extortion and other crimes perpetrated by gangs. There have been multiple incidents of gang members destroying city buses and taxis, and reports that gang members rob, assault, rape, kidnap, or murder passengers. Respect for the Integrity of the Person, Including Freedom from: a. San Pedro Sula is not a safe place to travel, with a high crime rate. Municipalities With Highest Number of Deaths Attributed to Traffic Accidents 200 150 100 179 177 50 61 52 39 0 36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 24 23 23 22 21 19 16, January to December 2019, Secretariat of Security Honduran National Police Honduras 2020 OSAC Crime & Safety Report. Most crime victims are members of rival gangs, small business owners who resist gang extortion, passengers on public transportation, or those involved in land tenure disputes. "The issue of gender-based violence is a central human rights issue. There are no known international terrorist groups operating in Honduras. . The government also enacted a new penal code provision that brought the definition of trafficking in line with the definition under international law. in Choluteca: the cities of Apacilagua, Orocuina and San Isidro. An NGO noted courts continued to delay trafficking cases despite a requirement in the anti-trafficking law to process such cases in a timely manner, an issue further exacerbated by the pandemic. Gangs are not reluctant to use violence, and specialize in murder-for-hire, carjacking, extortion, and other violent street crime. The Honduran National Police wear blue uniforms, while the PMOP normally wear green camouflage. Cruise lines and port agencies offer approved tour companies offering packages. If you use our datasets on your site or blog, we ask that you provide attribution via a link back to this page. According to the International Rescue Committee, femicides are a major concern in Honduras. "I am a survivor of domestic violence and I am lucky to be alive," said Rosa Maria Perez at the launch of the campaign. Roatn and the Bay Islands are geographically separate from the mainland and experience lower crime rates even when compared with other Caribbean islands. 0. The governments disaggregated victim data included some victims of related crimes such as child pornography; all identified victims were Honduran citizens and included 43 children and 24 adults, 56 females and 10 males, and one LGBTQI+ individual. There have also been cases of police harassment of patrons in LGBTI+ nightclubs. Honduras is one of the murder capitals of the world. A study conducted by the Spotlight Initiative and civil society partnersincluding the University Institute for Democracy, Peace and Security (IUDPAS) of the National Autonomous University of Honduras (UNAH) and the communications company Sienprovided data on howmedia messages about violence against womenareframedin the news. Since its inception in 2016, MACCIH has worked with the Public Ministry to achieve success on several significant cases, including against current and former public officials. Highlights July 27, 2022: Student Reports of Bullying: Results from the 2019 School Crime Supplement to the National Crime Victimization Survey July 12, 2022: Crime, Violence, Discipline, and Safety in U.S. Public Schools in 2019-20: Findings from the School Survey on Crime and Safety June 28, 2022: NGOs have reported anonymous attacks via social media, alleging that civil society actors are engaged in, or supportive of, criminal activity in Honduras. According to the Honduran Commission for Human Rights (Conadeh), 75 people died in attacks against the public transport service in Honduras between January and July 2019. The Honduran government is modernizing some of the main transportation road networks to four-lane highways, which can lead to increased travel times because of ongoing construction. Honduran police generally do not speak English. Diarrheal illness is very common even in large cities and luxury accommodations. U.S. Embassy Tegucigalpa Avenida La Paz, Tegucigalpa Hours of Operation: Monday-Thursday, 0730-1630; Friday, 0800-1500 Tel: +504-2236-9320; After Hours: +504-2236-8497 Website: http://hn.usembassy.gov Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/embajadahonduras/, U.S. Consular Agency San Pedro Sula Banco Atlntida Building, 11th Floor, across the street from Central Park, San Pedro Sula Hours of Operation: Monday-Thursday, 1200-1600 Tel: +504-2558-1580 Website: https://hn.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/spsca/. CICESCT maintained a public website and launched social media accounts to share information on human trafficking with the public. We would like to show you a description here but the site won't allow us. This report of the Central America Monitor aims to define a baseline for the indicators related to reducing violence and combatting organized crime in Honduras. Three U.S. citizens were reported murdered in Honduras between January and September 2013. CICESCT referred 37 victimsfive boys, 22 girls, and 10 womento government and NGO shelters for additional care. Massay Crisantho is one of the 21 most influential people named ambassadors to help advocate on ending violence against women and girls by the United Nations in Honduras. U.S. organizations and citizens report corruption in the public sector and the judiciary is a significant constraint to investment in Honduras. Article 219 of the Honduran penal code, which came into effect in June 2020, criminalized sex and labor trafficking and prescribed penalties of five to eight years imprisonment. Violent gang activity, such as extortion, violent street crime, rape, and narcotics and human trafficking, is widespread. Law enforcement, immigration, and social service providers had written procedures for identifying and assisting victims, including screening for indicators of trafficking among vulnerable populations and referring potential victims to CICESCTs immediate response team. Major cities (e.g. Spurred by anger with the government over accusations of public corruption, allegations of involvement in narcotics trafficking, and efforts to pass controversial education reform, protests and demonstrations were near-daily occurrences at times during 2019. By comparison, the United States has a global safety ranking of 128. This report is a result of the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act and complies with Federal reporting requirements, specifically 20 U.S. Code Section 1092 (f). HOUSTON Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Houston, with assistance from ERO Tegucigalpa and the Security Alliance for Fugitive Enforcement (SAFE) Task Force, removed Rufino Garza Monroy, a twice-deported foreign fugitive from the United States on Feb. 24. LGBTI+ travelers should exercise caution, especially when expressing affection in public. Honduras, long one of the poorest countries in Latin America, is now also among the most violent and crime-ridden. DOS Trafficking in Persons Report - 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019. U.S. citizens should exercise caution while sailing or mooring in Honduran waters. Corruption and official complicity in trafficking crimes remained significant concerns, inhibiting law enforcement action during the year. Government agencies, including CICESCT, its local committees, the Public Ministry, the Secretariat of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Supreme Court of Justice, and the Secretariat of Education, provided anti-trafficking trainings to police, lawyers, judges, other government officials, tourism professionals, civil society organizations, teachers, and members of the public throughout the country; due to the pandemic, the government conducted the majority of trainings virtually, which allowed them to reach more stakeholders and decrease costs. In January 2012, the Peace Corps suspended its program in Honduras in order to review the safety and security of its volunteers. Experts observed that judges lack of specialized knowledge or experience in handling trafficking cases impeded successful prosecution and conviction of cases. This resulted in multiple protests by environmentalist groups claiming the project is illegal due to the damage to the bioreserve and exacerbating the citys already dire water shortage. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy. NGOs reported authorities did not properly identify children forced to engage in illegal activities by criminal groups, reporting that the government may have inappropriately treated such children as criminals instead of victims. The rate of young people killing other young people is down to two main gangs : Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and Barrio 18. If you are not sure about your visa status, visit www.doyouneedvisa.com which will let you know whether or not you need visa based on your nationality and the country you want to visit. There have been frequent incidents of carjacking and highway robbery on a number of roads including the main highway (CA-5) between San Pedro Sula and Siguatepeque, with the greatest risk between Potrerillos and Pito Solo in the lake area. The CICESCT convened a network of 32 government agencies and NGOs and coordinated the governments anti-trafficking efforts, including implementation of the 2016-2020 national anti-trafficking action plan. As reported over the past five years, human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in Honduras, and traffickers exploit victims from Honduras abroad. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is a global organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights, and building a better future for refugees, forcibly displaced communities, and stateless people.. Find contact information for available medical services and available air ambulance services on the U.S. Embassy/Consulate website. Avoid driving at night. Although Copan, Roatan/Bay Islands, and other tourist destinations have a lower crime rate than other parts of the country, thefts, break-ins, assaults, and murders do occur. The campaign and its different audiovisual assets have been broadcasted by over 15 media outlets nationwide and free of charge, including the country's most-watched TV network. Travelers should always drive with their doors locked and windows rolled up to avoid potential robberies at traffic lights and other places, such as congested downtown streets. Download Historical Data. Useful Information. Traffickers exploit victims within their own homes or communities, including sometimes their own family members or friends. Last update: October 2022. January 26, 2022 At a glance Population: 10.1 million 2.8 million people in need of humanitarian aid In past years, several U.S. citizens have been murdered in San Pedro Sula and La Ceiba shortly after arriving in the country. Of November 2021, almost 39 homicides were committed per 100,000 crimes are carried out by acting., 2022, in Uvalde, Texas in Action - Honduras /a > Qatar iverson house . Humanitarian Assistance: Since April 2021, USAID reached approximately 1.9 million people impacted by recurrent droughts, COVID-19, and severe damage from Hurricanes Eta and Iota in northern. Some passengers opt to travel armed when using public transportation, which sometimes results in armed confrontations where innocent bystanders are injured or killed in the crossfire. The main problems are related to corruption, robbery, and vandalism. About Us; Staff; Camps; Scuba. Honduras - Safety & Security ; Honduras - Country Commercial Guide Honduras Country Commercial Guide. The government lacks resources to investigate and prosecute cases; police often lack vehicles/fuel to respond to calls for assistance. It provided a family, a sense of belonging. Reach the local police anywhere in Honduras by dialing 911. Municipalities With the Highest Number of Homicides, 600 500 400 478 300 410 200 100 251 112 101 100 94 69 61 56 54 54 54 53 50 45 41 40 37 35 0, January to December 2019, Secretariat of Security Honduran National Police, Honduran Municipalities With Highest Percentage of Homicides 25.0% 20.0% 15.0% 10.0% 5.0% 0.0%, Honduran Municipalities With Highest Percentage of Homicides. The following reports are broken down by campus alphabetically: Abington 2022 Annual Security and Fire Safety Report (pdf) CICESCT sustained its efforts to provide immediate protection to victims and coordinate additional services among other stakeholders without interruption throughout the pandemic. In contrast, the enrollment in secondary schools dropped to 52%, while post-secondary education was attended by just 26% of the relevant age group in 2020. . Airlines estimate that approximately 250,000 U.S. citizens flew into Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula, or Roatn in 2019. Resolution of disputes in court often takes years. Intentional homicides are estimates of unlawful homicides purposely inflicted as a result of domestic disputes, interpersonal violence, violent conflicts over land resources, intergang violence over turf or control, and predatory violence and killing by armed groups. Local police and emergency services lack sufficient resources to respond effectively to serious crime.