In the first few months of 2026, the Dominican Republic has recorded 32 violent deaths of women due to gender-based violence, highlighting the persistent magnitude of the problem despite institutional efforts to reduce cases compared to previous years.
The majority of these deaths are the result of crimes committed by partners or former partners, with an impact that not only alarms society but also has serious consequences for the victims and their families, particularly children and adolescents who are left orphaned by these events, according to official data released by the Public Prosecutor's Office, the Ministry of Women, the National Statistics Office (ONE), and the Observatory for Justice and Gender of the Judicial Branch.
During the first quarter of 2026, the National Directorate for Gender-Based Violence reported 22 femicides, a figure that increased to over 27 cases by May, according to the Ministry of Women, and which the Observatory for Justice and Gender of the Judicial Branch consolidated as 32 cases in the most recent reports. This information was also reported by the media outlet Diario Listín in its specialized coverage of the issue.
For comparison, the previous year ended with 59 femicides occurring in the first few months, representing an approximate reduction of 17% compared to 2024, when 71 victims were reported during the same period.
According to historical data presented by the Minister of…
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In 2026, the Dominican Republic recorded 32 femicides due to gender-based violence, severely impacting families and leaving numerous children orphaned. (Illustrative Image: Infobae)
In the first months of 2026, the Dominican Republic has recorded 32 violent deaths of women due to gender-related reasons, revealing the persistent magnitude of the problem despite institutional efforts to reduce cases compared to previous years. Most of these deaths were committed by partners or former partners, with an impact that not only alarms society but also has serious consequences for victims and their families, particularly children and adolescents who are left orphaned by these events, according to official data released by the Public Prosecutor's Office, the Ministry of Women, the National Statistics Office (ONE), and the Observatory for Justice and Gender of the Judiciary. During the first quarter of 2026, the National Directorate against Gender Violence reported 22 femicides, a figure that increased to more than 27 cases by May, according to the Ministry of Women, and which the Observatory for Justice and Gender of the Judiciary consolidated into 32 cases by the end of the most recent reports, information also collected by the media outlet Diario Listín in its specialized coverage of the issue. Official statistics show that most femicides in the Dominican Republic are committed by partners and former partners of the victims. (Courtesy: Institute for Legal Defense)
In comparative terms, the previous year ended with 59 femicides occurring in the first months, representing an approximate reduction of 17% compared to 2024, when 71 victims were reported during the same period. According to historical data presented by the Minister of Women, Mayra Jiménez, between 2005 and 2019, the country's annual average was approximately 97 cases of femicide, including years that exceeded 130 deaths. Since 2020, the annual average has decreased to approximately 63 femicides, a trend that, although decreasing, keeps gender-based violence as one of the most serious public problems in the Dominican Republic. The profile of the victims in 2026 corresponds mainly to young women between 18 and 35 years old during the first months. Most of the cases occurred in the National District and the province of Santo Domingo, totaling 41% of the cases recorded in the initial quarter of the year. The National District and the province of Santo Domingo are the most affected by violence. Regarding the relationship between victims and aggressors, in twelve cases, the perpetrator was the current partner; in eight, the former partner. The rest of the incidents were committed by people close to or with prior connections to the victims. According to official data collected by the National Directorate Against Gender Violence, 54.55% of the aggressors are under arrest, while the rest are fugitives or under judicial investigation. In addition, a key piece of information for understanding the problem: 86% of the women murdered in 2026 had not filed previous complaints against their aggressors, which limits the ability to intervene early and contributes to the persistence of impunity. The predominant profile of the victims corresponds to young women aged 18 to 35, with a high incidence of cases in the National District and the province of Santo Domingo. (Freepik)
The types of weapons used in the crimes varied. These data, extracted from the National Directorate Against Gender Violence and the Directorate of Intelligence of Data and Management Indicators.
In the first half of 2026, more than 17,000 reports of gender-based violence, domestic violence, and sexual offenses were registered nationwide. (Photo courtesy of the Public Prosecutor's Office)
A fundamental aspect of the problem stems from the absence of prior reports by the victims: the high proportion of women who have never sought institutional channels to report their situation fosters scenarios of recurring violence and hinders the early action of protection agencies. The institutional response included the announcement of new prevention strategies and awareness campaigns, accompanied by the strengthening of comprehensive care programs for victims, coordinated by the Ministry of Women, the Attorney General's Office, and the Ministry of Interior and Police. For her part, the Minister of Interior and Police, Faride Raful, reported in November 2025 that the authorities are observing a downward trend in both deaths and reports, although she emphasized that the problem remains a national priority.