Santiago.- The spokesperson for the Hermanas Mirabal Movement and feminist activist, Raquel Rivera, denounced this Monday that the lack of effective responses from the justice system, the insufficiency of state resources, and the persistence of sexist patterns continue to be determining factors in the increase of femicides and gender-based violence in the Dominican Republic.
The leader maintained that, despite official campaigns and speeches about equality and the protection of women’s rights, reality shows that many victims continue to face institutional lack of protection, judicial delays, and a worrying social indifference that, in numerous cases, ends in tragedy.
“While there is talk of respect, equity, and protection for women, we continue to count victims. One cannot speak of a reduction in femicides when women report them and the system does not respond with the urgency that is warranted,” stated Rivera.
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The activist pointed out that violence against women can no longer be treated as a private matter, while urging family members, neighbors, and communities to intervene and report any signs of aggression before a fatal outcome occurs.
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Rivera warned that many victims live under constant threats, a situation that forces them to remain silent or return to their aggressors for fear of retaliation, while the institutions in charge of protecting them operate with limitations in personnel, resources, and training.
As an example of the gravity of the situation, he cited the recent femicide that occurred in Luperón, where a young mother of three was allegedly murdered by her ex-partner, from whom she had separated due to constant episodes of violence. Subsequently, the aggressor took his own life.
“That case shows that we continue to arrive late. The signs were there and the system failed again. Every femicide is a warning that public policies are not being enough to save lives,” he/she expressed.
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The representative of the Hermanas Mirabal Movement also questioned the inequality in access to justice, asserting that women with fewer economic resources face greater obstacles in obtaining legal assistance, police protection, and psychological support.
Likewise, he considered that judicial decisions in high-profile cases, such as that of Wander Franco, generate public distrust and project the perception that those who possess economic power receive different treatment within the system.
Rivera insisted that the country must dismantle the patriarchal structures that foster relationships of control and possession over women, warning that many aggressors continue to assume they have the right to decide on the lives of their partners when they choose to end a relationship.
Finally, he/she called on the Government, the Public Prosecutor’s Office, and the Judiciary to urgently strengthen prevention and protection mechanisms, warning that the lack of action will continue to result in more murdered women.
“Gender-based violence is not fought with speeches or temporary campaigns. It is fought with timely justice, real protection, and public policies that prevent one more woman from ending up on the list of victims of femicide in the country,” he/she stated
