A newly released UNICEF report has cast a stark light on a deepening crisis of gender-based violence in the Dominican Republic. The findings, published this Thursday, document 89 femicides in the nation so far in 2024, marking a significant and alarming surge from the 69 cases recorded throughout the entirety of 2023. This figure translates to a rate of 1.5 murders per 100,000 women.
The study delves beyond the extreme outcome of femicide to outline a pervasive culture of violence that jeopardizes the safety of women and girls from a young age. It reveals that a staggering 31.5% of Dominican women aged 20–24 were married or entered into a union before their 18th birthday, with 9.4% doing so before the age of 15, placing them at heightened vulnerability.
Citing data from the World Health Organization (WHO), the report underscores the prevalence of intimate partner violence. It states that 28.5% of women between 15 and 49 years old have endured physical or sexual violence from a partner at some point in their lives, with 22.8% experiencing it within the twelve months preceding the study.
Anyoli Sanabria, UNICEF’s interim representative in the Dominican Republic, issued a powerful statement connecting these tragedies to their impact on the next generation. She emphasized that each femicide ‘devastates children’s lives’ and constitutes a fundamental violation of their right to a secure and nurturing upbringing.
In response, UNICEF is collaborating with national authorities and community groups to fortify systems for prevention, early detection, and victim support. These initiatives include comprehensive training programs for families and educators, the expansion of care services for survivors, and advocacy for crucial legal reforms designed to better protect children and adolescents.
Sanabria also issued a direct appeal to the government, urging the elimination of a remaining exception in the Penal Code that permits physical punishment within homes. She stressed that such normative violence often serves as a precursor to more severe acts, including femicide, and its abolition is a critical step toward breaking the cycle of abuse.