But while the special envoy defended her husband, she didn't do so with the media. She stood with her colleague, the minister of human development in condemning the media for what they called the sensationalisation and re-victimization of a minor being tortured:
Hon. Dolores Balderamos, Minister of Human Development
"The National Women's Commission did put out a strong statement and they are definitely very much within our Ministry and we work together with the National Women's Commission and of course the office of Mrs. Briceno, our Special Envoy. So, the Women's Commission did put a very strong statement decrying that kind of thing. Especially because you have minors involved. But please let me take this opportunity to say that we also have to call out the media who played that thing on the television. That is re-victimizing the victim. What happened to journalistic ethics of television stations? You don't play that kind of thing again. I am not calling the name of the media house or houses. But we have to stop that. We absolutely have to stop that and I will direct the National Committee for Families and Children to make a media statement, not a knee jerk reaction, but to make a media statement that we are calling on all the media houses and everybody who is involved in journalism in this country not to replay to that kind of thing. You are re-victimizing the victim and must have some journalistic ethics. I call out whoever did it."
Rosanna Briceno- Special Envoy for Families and Children
"I did get to see it, unfortunately I did. I wonder where it came from, who was so cruel to do something like that. Unfortunately a tv station made it its business to sensationalize it when they should know better that this is a 15 year old and they need to be held accountable. Just the mere fact that they sensationalize the news showing these things. You know what? Somebody should sue them. Sorry, with all due respect but that was wrong of the media to do that. So, let's start with the media. Let's start with the media and then you come to ask me what we will do. But I know that the Human Resources, the Ministry of Education, whoever else they need to do their share to protect these children. We have laws in place to protect the children. Now, what needs to be worked on is the laws for those perpetrators. We have domestic violence acts, we have cyber bullying, we have all kinds of acts in place but they are not being adhered to. So, this is where I feel that we need to work on, seriously need to work on."
