At Shelters women go with their sons and daughters, whose lives are at risk due to gender and domestic violence, and aware that these places are spaces to save lives, the Ministry of women it is focused on there being at least one of these in each of the provinces.
“Very injured women arrive, very injured and hurt. We pay a lot of attention to them so that they receive a warm, humane service… like being in a family that takes care of you, that guides you, that works alongside you, to help you get out of the circle of violence in which you arrived,” assured the minister of the woman, Mayra Jimenezin a conversation with Free Journal.
fifteen
There are currently fifteen of these shelters in operation, and this year they have the goal of incorporating seven more houses, in addition to a national center with capacity for more than 200 people.
The minister specified that currently there are 15 of these shelters in operation, and this year they have the goal of incorporating seven more houses, in addition to a national center with capacity for more than 200 people. However, of the 15 houses, ten are rented.
The official explained that when the government of President Luis Abinader took over the leadership of the country, there were only three houses operating in “deplorable conditions” and two under construction. For this reason they finished building the two that were started and conditioned the other three.
However, the Government was convinced that only five Shelters they were not enough, and to find a solution to this situation, they decided to rent.
Currently, the Minister for Women is making efforts so that the authorities of the Attorney General’s Office (PGR) provide some of the properties that are seized from those who commit organized crime.
Leticia Payano, National Coordinator of Sheltersaccompanied the Minister for Women, and specified that in these homes 82 people in a vulnerable situation are sheltered (until February 28, 2022). The identities and locations of the sheltered women and their sons and daughters are handled with total discretion to avoid adverse situations.
Economical support
Many of the women and their children who go to the Shelters They only leave this place when the aggressor has been arrested and prosecuted by the authorities, since it is understood that the risk situation for the battered woman is low.
In many cases that process can take months. Therefore, while they are in the shelter, both the woman and her children are enrolled in education and training programs.
One of the most relevant programs is the Economic Support and Training for Employment and Entrepreneurshipas they are aimed at helping women to break economic dependence on their abusers.
They also receive in Shelters health services and psychological support.
Minister Mayra Jiménez assures that once the women leave the Shelters They are given accompaniment through legal and psychological services, support groups, group therapies and financial support.
Woman Bonus
Many women receive the so-called “Bono Mujer”.
They are deposited RD$6,500 on a Banco de Reservas card, said the minister. But in addition, they receive an item of RD$3,500 for food.
In other words, the total item they receive is RD$10,000 per month, said Jiménez, who also calculated that this aid currently reaches 400 women. While the goal is to reach 1,600 women this year.
“There are people who say that this is not enough, but I say that we did not have anything before and I can say that it is the highest economic support that the Government gives to its entire social assistance workforce. This sends a clear message of the high priority that this policy has for this government administration”, said the minister.
