Human Rights Council Reviews Panama Domestic Violence

On Tuesday, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights reviewed the worrying state of domestic violence in Panama and has urged the country to promote measures to ensure gender equality, stop domestic violence and improve conditions for refugees.

Statistics from Panama’s Public Defendor’s Office show that the number of reported femicides nearly doubled from 42 in 2008 to 80 in 2009.

Las Prensa reports that last year alone police were called on 311 cases of domestic violence in Panama’s western districts of La Chorrera, Capira, Chame and San Carlos. Through September of this year, similar calls were already up to 218, with an average of 20 to 45 calls a month, police sub-commissioner Alvin Reyes said.

Panama emergency rooms receive the most calls from domestic violence victims on Sundays and Mondays.  Alcohol is usually the trigger, with the largest percentage of femicides are committed by firearm in the province of Panama.