Domestic violence in Ecuador
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Although prohibited by law, domestic violence in Ecuador is widespread.[1] The law provides penalties for domestic violence of up to $28 or seven days in prison, creates family courts, and gives courts the power to remove an abusive spouse from the home if continued cohabitation creates a risk to the victim of abuse.[1] The courts may also issue restraining orders prohibiting the abusive spouse from approaching the victim or her place of employment or study; prohibiting the abusive spouse from persecuting or intimidating the victim or any member of her family; reinserting the victim into the family home, if shared, while simultaneously removing the abusive spouse from the premises; and ordering any treatment deemed beneficial to the affected family.[1]
The Office of Gender, in the Ministry of Government, reported 68,184 cases of sexual, psychological, or physical mistreatment of women during 2006.[1] Women may file complaints against a rapist or an abusive spouse or companion only if they produce a witness.[1] Thirty special Police Stations for Women and Families handled issues including domestic violence.[1] The government's National Commission on Women (CONAMU) may accept complaints about abuse of women but must refer cases to the prosecutor's office for action.[1] CONAMU has projects in all provinces, focusing primarily on equal opportunities, public policy programs toward women, and lines of credit for women's businesses.[1] CONAMU also offers legal and psychological services to victims of violence in most provinces.[1] In some police stations, social workers employed by city governments or NGOs assist victims.[1] A variety of NGOs offer legal and psychological assistance to victims of domestic violence.[1]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Report on Human Rights Practices 2006: Ecuador. United States Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (March 6, 2007). This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
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