Seven fewer, but violent deaths claim 66 women in first 4 months

SANTO DOMINGO.- During the first four months this year 66 women died from domestic violence, seven cases fewer than the same 2011 period, with 73.

Of the 66, 35 were among couples, while the remaining 31 occurred during holdups, brawls, rapes, and accidents, as reported by the Justice Ministry’s Statistics Dept.

There were 18 violent deaths of women since January, 11in February, 18 in March and 19 in April. The report lists the most femicides in Santo Domingo province, with 18 cases, followed by Santiago with 7, San Cristobal with 5, and Puerto Plata and Sanchez Ramirez both with 4.

During the same 2011 period, 20 femicides were reported in January, 24 in February, 13 in March and 16 in April. That year 230 women were killed in violent deaths.

Of those the report lists 200 were Dominican nationals, 25 Haitian, and one each were Cuban, German, Italian, Venezuelan and Swiss.