More women are killed

PANAMA. The rate of deaths from domestic violence in Panama has doubled in the first six months of the year, according to a report of the Women Rights Protection Department.

According to the statistics, for the whole last year 41 women were killed at the hand of their lovers, but in the first six months of 2009, 45 have been murdered.

The People’s Defender, Ricardo Julio Vargas said that women’s violent deaths are regrettable and alarming, taking into account that in 2007 there were 36 cases.

Vargas said that the authorities should pay more attention to domestic violence cases and give more protection to the victims of this crime.

The People’s Defender said that the situation in Panama with regards to women’s violent deaths is a problem for public health, human rights and social security that destroys the lives of children, eroding the fabric of the family.

He said that a system against domestic violence should be put in place that would be more effective than the current one.

The Panamanian Observatory Against Violence has asked the authorities to invest more money and resources fighting this plague that is threatening to wreck more families.