A woman was shot to death in a domestic dispute in the municipality of Las Yayas de Viajama, Azua province, on the night of Saturday, 23 October. The victim, identified as Pamela Alcántara, was killed by her partner, Rafael Pereyra, who allegedly fired several shots at her with a firearm. According to preliminary reports, Pereyra then used the same weapon to take his own life. Police National, the Central Investigation Directorate (Dicrim), the Public Ministry and forensic doctors arrived at the scene to recover the bodies and begin the investigation. The circumstances that led to the argument and whether the couple had a history of violence have not yet been established. In a separate development, the Fundación Vida Sin Violencia reported on 25 October that 74 feminicides had been recorded in the country so far this year, an increase of 24 cases compared with the previous period. President Yanira Fondeur presented the figures during an interview on the program Esferas de Poder, hosted by Federico Méndez. She noted that the murders had left 105 children and adolescents motherless, and that seven of the victims were minors, including a 13‑year‑old girl. Seventeen of the perpetrators had committed suicide after the incidents. Fondeur highlighted that many of these crimes were preceded by warning signs such as prior violence, repeated threats and the perpetrators’ access to firearms. She called for stronger prevention mechanisms, effective protection for women who report violence, stricter enforcement of protection orders, and a coordinated response from the institutions responsible for handling such cases.
Article source: El Nuevo Diario | Image credit: El Nuevo Diario