The Dominican government has unveiled a groundbreaking national initiative to address the critical issue of gender-based violence, introducing a network of safe havens known as ‘Life Points’ for women in immediate danger. This strategic intervention, spearheaded by Interior and Police Minister Faride Raful, provides vulnerable women with alternative access points to seek urgent protection and support without the initial requirement of visiting formal law enforcement or prosecutorial offices.
The program was formally activated following a high-level convening of the Joint Task Force, under the leadership of Vice President Raquel Peña. Initial operational sites have been established across key government and public locations, including the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, the Ministry of the Interior and Police, the Ministry of the Presidency, the Provincial Government of Santiago, and a branch of Farmacia Los Hidalgos on Avenida Abraham Lincoln in Santo Domingo. Personnel at these designated points have undergone comprehensive training to serve as certified first responders, equipped to initiate emergency protocols and coordinate directly with the Dominican National Police and the Public Ministry.
Concurrent with this preventative measure, official data reveals the scale of the national response. Thus far in the current year, the police’s Specialized Directorate for Attention to Women and Domestic Violence has provided aid to 1,695 individuals and successfully extracted 49 minors from high-risk environments. Law enforcement actions have led to the arrest of 630 perpetrators linked to domestic and gender-based violence offenses, with extended protection and follow-up services extended to 5,994 victims. To enhance this systematic approach, authorities are developing a standardized risk assessment instrument designed to meticulously evaluate each reported case and calibrate the necessary level of protective intervention.