Dominican Republic records 62 femicides in 2026: Yeni Berenice advocates for prevention
The Attorney General of the Republic, Yeni Berenice Reynoso, reported that the country has recorded 62 femicides so far in the year 2026. During her speech at the Industrial Meeting organized by the Association of Industries of the Dominican Republic (AIRD), the magistrate emphasized that these figures reflect the urgency of transforming state policies toward a preventive approach that attacks the cultural root of gender-based violence.
If we take those two variables, we reach a single conclusion: we must work on prevention, we must dismantle a sexist culture.
Yeni Berenice Reynoso, Attorney General of the Republic
Critical challenges in the fight against violence
Reynoso highlighted alarming data that complicates the work of the authorities: 89% of the fatal victims had not filed prior complaints with the Public Prosecutor’s Office, which hinders timely intervention. Furthermore, 25% of the aggressors decide to take their own lives after committing the femicide, a phenomenon that demonstrates the psychological and social complexity behind these crimes.
- During the year 2025, the Public Ministry received a total of 73,000 complaints linked to gender-based violence, domestic violence, and sexual crimes.
- More than 26,000 complaints for death threats were recorded in the same period.
- The new classification of femicide in the Penal Code represents a fundamental advance for the country’s legal security.
Social conflicts and the new Penal Code
Beyond gender-based violence, the prosecutor warned about the increase in homicides resulting from everyday social conflicts. According to the statistics presented, six out of every ten murders in the Dominican Republic originate from minor disputes, such as traffic problems, arguments between neighbors, or altercations in places where alcohol is consumed. The current homicide rate stands at 7.4.
Given this scenario, the new Penal Code introduces significant changes:
- Simple homicide: Adjusted penalties of 5 to 20 years in prison.
- Aggravated homicide: Severe sanctions ranging from 30 to 40 years.
- Aggravating factors: Includes crimes against minors, pregnant women, vulnerable persons, and those committed against witnesses or lawyers in the exercise of their duties.
Legal certainty and corporate responsibility
The meeting with the AIRD also served to analyze the criminal liability of legal entities. The president of the association, Julio Virgilio Brache, urged the private sector to strengthen its compliance and internal control mechanisms. For his part, Reynoso clarified that the law does not seek the arbitrary closure of companies, reserving judicial dissolution only for cases of extreme gravity or entities created exclusively for criminal purposes.
