Legislative and judicial actions address gender-based violence and child support

In the Dominican Republic, a bicameral congressional commission is reviewing the ‘Mirabal Law’ project. This initiative seeks to classify the failure to pay child support as a form of economic violence against women, particularly when used to coerce or punish women for separating from their partners. The proposal includes prison sentences ranging from five to 10 years and fines of 10 to 20 minimum wages for those who withhold support despite having the capacity to pay. It also targets the unauthorized use of a woman’s bank accounts, personal data, or assets, as well as the destruction or theft of her personal property and tools.

In Mexico, the Specialized Prosecutor's Office for Women Victims of Gender-Based Crimes in Cuauhtémoc, Chihuahua, secured six convictions for crimes including domestic violence and failure to meet child support obligations. The sentenced individuals, who accepted responsibility through abbreviated procedures, received prison terms ranging from eight months to two years. Most were granted conditional liberty contingent upon paying reparations to the victims.