Controversy and Protests in Nicaragua over Domestic Violence Law

The Costa Rica News (TCRN) – Nicaragua is seeing numerous protests by men and women’s groups over controversial law: male groups and organizations protesting the law that combats domestic violence against women, and while feminist organizations take to the streets to defend the legislation.

The heart of the dispute is the Comprehensive Law Against Violence Against Women, known as Act 779, which provides for penalties of up to 30 years in prison for men who exercise physical or psychological violence against girls, adolescents and women.
It also prohibits mediation between victim and perpetrator, and violence creates specialized courts.

The protesters, supported by civil society organizations and representatives of the Catholic and evangelical churches, say the legislation, which just turned one year of June 22, breaks the constitutional principle of equality.

The men accused of assaulting women, they say, are processed by special judges and not in the same courts as the rest of Nicaraguans.

According to the Police Station for Women and Children in Nicaragua, in that country has an average of 97 complaints a day for crimes related to violence against women.

Moreover, according to the Women’s Network Against Violence Against Nicaragua, there were 83 murders of women since the adoption of the legislation.

The Costa Rica News (TCRN)
San Jose Costa Rica