SANTO DOMINGO – In a significant address, Dominican President Luis Abinader has pledged his administration’s full backing for a comprehensive national strategy to eradicate gender-based and domestic violence. The initiative, known as the ‘Let Her Go’ Comprehensive Reform and the National Pact for Life, has garnered unprecedented cross-party support, uniting senators and representatives from across the political spectrum to establish a coordinated framework for the protection, prevention, and prediction of femicides and filicides.
President Abinader detailed the substantial progress already achieved, citing a dramatic expansion of protective infrastructure. Under his leadership, the number of shelters for victims has increased sixfold, from a mere three to eighteen operational facilities. Furthermore, a specialized investigative unit dedicated to these crimes has been established within the National Police. The most striking statistic presented was a drastic reduction in femicides, which have plummeted from 233 in 2011 to 51 recorded between January and November of this year. However, the President solemnly declared that ‘one death is one too many,’ vowing to meticulously review the proposed legislative reforms and commit all necessary financial and institutional resources for their execution.
The ambitious ‘Let Her Go’ reform proposal entails a substantial investment of RD$5 billion, earmarked exclusively for bolstering prevention programs and protection services. A core objective is to forge a more robust legal architecture to ensure policy continuity remains unaffected by future changes in government. Representative Kinsberly Taveras, a key proponent, highlighted the overwhelming legislative consensus, with the initiative securing endorsement from 95% of lawmakers. She also underscored the pivotal role of female leadership in driving this change, noting the historic presence of 71 women in the Chamber of Deputies and 4 in the Senate, whose collective influence was instrumental in advancing the pact.