Spanish
Santo Domingo.– The new Dominican Penal Code establishes more severe sanctions for crimes related to privacy, consent, and harassment, including sentences of up to 20 years for non-consensual sexual activity within a relationship.
According to article 136, if one of the members of a relationship engages in sexual activity without the consent of the other, they may be sentenced to a prison term of between ten and twenty years. The penalty is aggravated if physical violence is used, substances that nullify the victim's will are used, or if they are forced to participate with third parties.You may be interested in: President Abinader promulgates the new Penal Code
Regarding harassment, article 143 provides for sanctions of one to two years in prison and fines for those who pursue, harass, or besiege another person repeatedly, by any means. Article 145 specifically focuses on digital sexual harassment, imposing penalties of up to three years for those who engage in this practice through social networks, digital platforms, or other electronic means. On the other hand, Article 186, on violation of privacy, penalizes with six months to one year in prison and fines of up to two minimum wages those who disclose without consent conversations, images, audios or videos of a private nature obtained in intimate spaces. With these provisions, the new legal framework seeks to reinforce the protection of individual rights and adapt to the challenges of the digital age and interpersonal relationships.
