What causes victims to drop domestic violence complaints in the Dominican Republic?

Coordinated by Supreme Court Justice Nancy I. Salcedo Fernández, the study revealed that victims often withdraw from cases or limit their participation, making it more difficult for courts to assess direct testimony. Of the 20 domestic violence rulings reviewed, only four victims formally joined the proceedings as plaintiffs, while most appeared solely as witnesses or played no active role.

The report also found that most aggressions were committed by former or current partners, frequently after a history of repeated abuse, and often occurred in the victim’s home. Between 2020 and 2024, authorities recorded 341,896 violence complaints in the country, with 77.5% linked to gender-based or domestic violence. The study also examined extreme assaults involving corrosive substances and burns, as well as cyber violence such as digital harassment and the non-consensual sharing of intimate content.