Doctors Edylberto Cabral and Mayra Brea, professors at the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD) have found that 44.3% of the deaths in the country over the last six years were due to robbery, drugs, extra judicial executions, kidnapping and murder, with only 14% being due to natural causes.
They said that the figures show the prevalence of violence in the country, and called for urgent State intervention, whilst warning of the rapid increase in “social-personal conflict” as shown by deaths caused in fights, the increase of femicides, domestic violence, suicides, sexual crimes and others.
In the study, “Criminal violence versus Social Conflict Violence in the Dominican Republic”, published in the XI Journal of University Science Investigation, they revealed that over 80% of the deaths in the country were due to murder, suicide and accidents and that both murder and suicide had practically doubled over the last decade, according to the National Institute of Forensic Science (Inecif).
They highlighted the fact that deaths during robberies had increased by 141% over this time period, and the increase in the drug problem which was leading to structural violence in an unequal society, which did not provide those involved with sufficient resources to meet their needs and hence they turned to crime.
www.elnacional.com.do/nacional/2012/10/24/139141/Estudio-revela-44-de-muertes-RD-son-violentasl