NewsWhore
11-19-2009, 06:20 PM
The threat of domestic violence is a serious concern for women in the DR, but the legal system continues to fail in providing legal protection for victims. This stark reality was the motivating force for a march that took place yesterday. Supporters, including representatives from the Attorney General's Office, the Ministry of Women and the National District's Attorney General's Office, took part in the "Zero Tolerance for Violence Against Women" march.
The march, which seeks to highlight the growing problem, is now in its second year.
During the march, Prosecutor General Radhames Jimenez, speaking to participants, said that the aim was to build 22 more Domestic Violence Care Units. There are already 14 across the country. Highlighting the scale of the problem, Jimenez says that 70 women were killed by their domestic partners in 2009, as reported in Hoy. Nevertheless, he added that although domestic violence has decreased by 32%, complaints have increased by 200% in the last year because more people are coming out into the open.
Women marching this year were also protesting the January 2009 murder of 28-year old Barbara Amparo Perdomo, shot to death by her husband. Roberto Antonio Jimenez Rodriguez received only two years in jail after the court accepted his version that the shot was "accidental." Perdomo was 8 months pregnant, and the couple had a history of domestic violence, as witnessed by relatives, neighbors and co-workers. Her body at death showed visible signals of violence. As reported, the victim had locked herself in her room to hide from her attacking husband, but he broke the lock and shot her with a 9mm Smith & Wesson, whose permit had expired. News reports indicate that the killer's erratic behavior did not allow time to save the unborn baby, either. The husband took the body of his wife and drove around with it in his car, probably looking for a place to dump it. He eventually delivered it to a hospital, where he was forcibly arrested.
Then Friday, 13 November, a judge at the Charles de Gaulle court sentenced Jimenez Rodriguez to only two years in jail, causing widespread outrage and protests. The sentence coincides with November, a month dedicated to women.
Another case that points to negligence in government handling of violence against women is that of legislator Julio Romero. In today's Diario Libre, editorialist Ines Aizpun urges legislators to discuss the case. Romero is in the spotlight for his relationship with a minor who has had his baby. Nonetheless, the Congressional Ethics Committee has not been able to reach quorum to discuss the case. Aizpun says this turns the legislators into semi-accomplices to the crime. Romero has defended himself by saying he was just a man in love. Aizpun says this is an insult to the intelligence of Dominican citizens. Dominican law says that having sex with a minor is rape. This is not a first accusation of sexual abuse of a minor for the legislator.
Aizpun writes: "To have relations with a minor is a crime. Even if the adult is a legislator. Do we have to spell out something that is obvious? It looks as if the answer is no, because some legislators confuse parliamentary immunity with congressional indulgence. "
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#8)
The march, which seeks to highlight the growing problem, is now in its second year.
During the march, Prosecutor General Radhames Jimenez, speaking to participants, said that the aim was to build 22 more Domestic Violence Care Units. There are already 14 across the country. Highlighting the scale of the problem, Jimenez says that 70 women were killed by their domestic partners in 2009, as reported in Hoy. Nevertheless, he added that although domestic violence has decreased by 32%, complaints have increased by 200% in the last year because more people are coming out into the open.
Women marching this year were also protesting the January 2009 murder of 28-year old Barbara Amparo Perdomo, shot to death by her husband. Roberto Antonio Jimenez Rodriguez received only two years in jail after the court accepted his version that the shot was "accidental." Perdomo was 8 months pregnant, and the couple had a history of domestic violence, as witnessed by relatives, neighbors and co-workers. Her body at death showed visible signals of violence. As reported, the victim had locked herself in her room to hide from her attacking husband, but he broke the lock and shot her with a 9mm Smith & Wesson, whose permit had expired. News reports indicate that the killer's erratic behavior did not allow time to save the unborn baby, either. The husband took the body of his wife and drove around with it in his car, probably looking for a place to dump it. He eventually delivered it to a hospital, where he was forcibly arrested.
Then Friday, 13 November, a judge at the Charles de Gaulle court sentenced Jimenez Rodriguez to only two years in jail, causing widespread outrage and protests. The sentence coincides with November, a month dedicated to women.
Another case that points to negligence in government handling of violence against women is that of legislator Julio Romero. In today's Diario Libre, editorialist Ines Aizpun urges legislators to discuss the case. Romero is in the spotlight for his relationship with a minor who has had his baby. Nonetheless, the Congressional Ethics Committee has not been able to reach quorum to discuss the case. Aizpun says this turns the legislators into semi-accomplices to the crime. Romero has defended himself by saying he was just a man in love. Aizpun says this is an insult to the intelligence of Dominican citizens. Dominican law says that having sex with a minor is rape. This is not a first accusation of sexual abuse of a minor for the legislator.
Aizpun writes: "To have relations with a minor is a crime. Even if the adult is a legislator. Do we have to spell out something that is obvious? It looks as if the answer is no, because some legislators confuse parliamentary immunity with congressional indulgence. "
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#8)