The Dominican Republic has achieved a significant milestone in combating gender-based violence with a 28.17% reduction in femicides for 2025, according to President Luis Abinader. Official statistics indicate a decline from 71 cases in 2024 to 51 cases this year, marking the most substantial decrease recorded in recent history.
Despite this progress, President Abinader emphasized that gender violence continues to represent a national emergency requiring immediate and compassionate intervention. The announcement was made during his weekly press briefing ‘LA Semanal con la Prensa,’ where he unveiled the groundbreaking ‘Puntos VIDA’ initiative – a comprehensive nationwide network of certified safe spaces for women facing violence.
The VIDA program (representing Surveillance, Identification, Reporting, and Assistance) will establish both public and private establishments as immediate support centers for women at risk. These designated locations will employ specially trained personnel equipped to perform critical functions including danger assessment, emergency authority notification, safe accompaniment services, and direct coordination with 911 emergency services, the dedicated VIDA Line, and protective services.
In a demonstration of governmental commitment, all central government institutions will undergo certification first, establishing a precedent for private sector participation. Following public sector implementation, the program will expand to include supermarkets, shopping malls, pharmacies, gas stations, banking institutions, and healthcare facilities nationwide.
Certification requirements mandate that participating establishments provide private consultation areas, telephone access, extended operating hours, and staff comprehensively trained in gender-sensitive and trauma-informed care methodologies. The initiative integrates seamlessly with the Attorney General’s existing VITALIA strategy, creating an interconnected safety net designed to ensure that no woman in the Dominican Republic is ever far from secure assistance.