Violence Against Women Has Not Decreased As The Orteguista Police Claims
While sexual violence against girls and adolescents remains relatively the same compared to last year, domestic violence has increased by over 300 reported cases, according to the Legal Medicine Institute's bulletins.
TL;DR
- Nicaragua's National Police report their prevention plan has reduced crime, but data indicates violence against women has not significantly decreased.
- Sexual violence against women, girls, and adolescents saw only a 2.7% decrease between January-May 2022 and January-May 2023.
- Domestic violence against women and girls increased by 12% in the first five months of 2023 compared to the same period in 2022, with over 300 more reported cases.
- The number of femicides is reported to be high, with 60 recorded cases as of the article's publication.
- Critics argue the police's prevention plan lacks focus on gender-based violence and is more of a political strategy, especially with the government's cancellation of 315 women's organizations since 2018.
- Defenders express skepticism about the police's follow-up on domestic violence cases, citing instances where victims were pressured into mediation even in severe cases.