Urgent approval of Law creates Comprehensive System to prevent and eradicate violence against women

SANTO DOMINGO. - Leaders of the Dominican feminist movement, as well as officials of the Office of the Attorney General of the Republic and the Ministry of women they affirmed yesterday that urges la approval of the bill of law what creates the Comprehensive System for the Prevention, Attention, Punishment and Eradication of Violence against Women, by participating in a seminar held in the Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo (INTEC).

 After stating that the scourge of violence "It is still so great y dramatic, in terms of size y characteristics, which requires increased attention and an approach that attack your roots”, The coordinator of the Center for Gender Studies of INTEC, Lourdes Contreras, considered that the country demands a State message in which the Executive, Judicial and Legislative powers establish an agenda, which connects with the mayors and the media, to achieve an end to femicides and all kinds of violence against women.

 He stressed that so far this year, the wave of violence has claimed the lives of more than 49 women, so it is urgent that the legislature order, instruct, send and offer guidance on how and with what mechanisms to stop it.

 By participating in the Seminar "Analysis about the bill that creates the Comprehensive System for the Prevention, Care, Punishment and Eradication of violence against women", the lawyer and researcher Susi Pola ZapicoHe said that although the Law on Domestic Violence (24-97) It was a "true legislative revolution”, Because with its promulgation the Penal Code was reformed to typify as crime to violence against women, both intrafamilial and sexual, the same it has not impacted in the reduction of the feminicides.

 Pola warned that the Law 24-97 does not establish un audiovisual national identified and transparent for prevent, answer y contain la violence against women. "The financial resources in the different programs and institutions, even from the State, are punctual and depend on international support, most of the time," he argued.

 He also said that there is no clear budget for the compensation of the victims, but there is the possibility of some very specific action. He explained that the country does not have a policy aimed at compensation, reestablishment, recovery and rehabilitation of victims. She stated that, if the law, submitted to the Senate by legislator Félix Bautista, in 2012, the State would be obliged to create operational structures to provide protection services to women.

 By participating in a seminar in which they analyzed the advantages of legislation that comprehensively addresses violence and guarantees the full exercise of human rights by women, Carmen Perez, Director of Articulation of the Ministry of WomenHe said that the Law 24-97 has played its role, despite the fact that violence against women, far from diminishing, has increased.

 However, the official warned that before promulgating the bill it is necessary make changes to the text approved by the Senate"Even though these seem very important to us, we would run the risk of losing what we have won in this long battle, in addition to its implications in terms of time," he emphasized.

 Among these aspects, Pérez stressed that the current wording has some definitions, especially those related to the concept of gender, which are confusing and contradictory. He observed the need for the inclusion of some principles and their definition, such as access to timely information, sexual orientation, domestic violence, and femicide.

The event was attended by Sonia Diaz, Deputy Minister of Equality Policies of the Ministry of Women; Elías Muñoz, manager of Corporate Affairs at Philip Morris Dominicana and Elsa Alcántara, dean of the Social Sciences and Humanities Area at INTEC. Representatives of the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Public Health, Public Ministry and the National Council for Children (CONANI) also participated.