National District prosecutor calls ‘crimes of passion’ a myth

Santo Domingo.- The image which comes to mind when speaking about domestic violence is of a couple living under the same roof, have children, married or not, but hardly the violence between "the cute couple" usually adolescents and who, mostly males, exert some type of control and surprising repression.

National District prosecutor Yeni Berenice Reynoso made the statement Monday in a meeting with officials assigned to cases of violence, and as invited guests, journalist and writer Ada Álvarez, of the Puerto Rico Senate Advisory Commission of women affairs, Mari Tere González López.

Alvarez, who for years has spearheaded a worldwide campaign against violence during courtship, revealed new expressions of violence, reinforced by the use of technological resources, through cell phones.

She said in many cases, when the girl breaks up with the man, he blackmails her by uploading intimate pictures and videos to social networks.

For Reynoso, Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic share similar and yet differences legal aspects to deal with the common problem of violence, and can be complemented by strong legislation.

"The statements by police and press releases should no longer speak of crimes of passion. They do not exist. There are crimes and criminals. No one who loves, kills," Reynoso said in the meeting, and proposed that a delegation of prosecutors visit Puerto Rico to learn about how to deal with domestic and courtship violence.