Senate of the Republic sponsors conference on gender violence with the Spanish specialist Miguel Lorente

Santo Domingo. - The Senate of the Republic sponsored the master conference “Understanding gender violence: concepts, contexts and cases”, given by the Spanish specialist Miguel Lorente, who warned about the persistence of cultural stereotypes that continue to justify violence against women in different social environments. When offering the welcoming words, Senator Rafael Barón Duluc expressed his concern about the permanence of speeches that justify the aggressor, revictimize women or minimize the impact of these behaviors. "Today more than ever, we need education, awareness, and serious policies based on evidence and comparative experiences," he stated, considering that the presence of Dr. Lorente constitutes an invaluable opportunity to elevate the national debate.

“As a senator of the Republic, I am convinced that this fight should not remain in denunciation and indignation. It must translate into concrete reforms, sustained programs, institutional strengthening, effective access to justice, and real prevention mechanisms,” he added.

During his presentation, Dr. Lorente explained that gender violence is sustained by two main pillars: on the one hand, the idea of possession, ownership, and control over women, and on the other, objectification, which reduces women to an object without autonomy. She pointed out that violence against women manifests itself in all areas of society, taking on both visible and subtle forms. She indicated that socially accepted arguments that justify aggression persist, discourses that are not used to excuse violence against other groups.

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The specialist clarified that there is no single profile of the aggressor, as anyone can exercise violence without the need to meet predetermined characteristics. She also highlighted that the aggressors usually isolate the victim from their support networks, a tactic that increases their vulnerability and makes it difficult to seek help.

Before starting the conference, Syra Taveras Pineda, director of the Centro de Investigación para la Acción Femenina (CIPAF), pointed out that gender violence affects more than half of the Dominican population and that its increase compromises development, institutionalism, and the credibility of the State.

In the event, senators Pedro Catrain, vice president of the Senate of the Republic; Antonio Marte; the Minister of Women, Mayra Jiménez, the director of the Supérate program, Gloria Reyes, deputies Selinée Méndez, Charlie Mariotti Jr., among others, participated.