She added that she has raised the matter with President Miguel Angel Rodriguez. For this year 14 women have been murdered by their spouses, boyfriends, ex-boyfriends or partners. Valerin has called on the authorities to treat seriously, complaints by women of domestic violence. This follows an increase in murders arising out of domestic violence particularly for this year. The Law against Domestic Violence provides temporary and immediate protection for women who need it, including access to a lawyer and shelter.
Victims receive the benefit of the doubt.
But women's organizations are working for a new law that will penalize and punish perpetrators of domestic violence. They are also attempting to make legal avenues more accessible. Statistics released by the National Institute for Women show that in 98 of 100 abuses reported to police, the victims are women. Giselle Molina, representative of the National Women's Institute's coordination against domestic violence said that the institute has been working to fight against domestic violence for more than 15 years. She said that the public is getting more sensitized to domestic violence, although the police still fail to give women's complaints proper credibility.