In Latin America and the Caribbean, at least 11 women lose their lives daily due to femicide, as reported by the latest findings from the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC). Notably, this report marks the first inclusion of Cuba in its alarming statistics. According to ECLAC, 3,897 women in the region fell victim to femicide in 2023. Although the report attempts to shed light on the situation in Cuba, it remains vague in its details.
The commission, headquartered in Chile, documented a mere 60 femicides in Cuba. However, this figure starkly contrasts with the data from independent gender observatories Alas Tensas and Yo Sí Te Creo en Cuba, which reported 89 femicides. Moreover, the Cuban regime itself acknowledged over 120 cases during the same timeframe. The ECLAC report suggests a rate of 1.1 violent female deaths per 100,000 inhabitants in Cuba, but independent platforms argue that the actual rate could be as high as 1.7, positioning Cuba as having the third highest femicide rate in the region. This rate is surpassed only by Honduras, with a staggering 7.2, and the Dominican Republic, at 2.4.
Regional Femicide Rates and Impact
Honduras, the Dominican Republic, and Brazil lead Latin America in femicide rates, according to ECLAC figures, while Haiti (0.2) and Chile (0.4) boast the lowest numbers. The majority of these heinous acts occur within current or terminated intimate relationships, predominantly affecting women aged 30 to 59, who make up 56.4% of the victims. In nations that reported secondary victims, such as the children of murdered women, there were 488 affected individuals.
Insufficient Legal Measures
While every country in the region has specific legal frameworks addressing gender-based violence, ECLAC stresses that these measures fall short of effectively tackling the vast scale of violence against women and girls. A recent study by the Cubadata project highlighted a troubling increase in various forms of violence in Cuba, with gender-based violence being particularly prominent. The report revealed that 9.3% of surveyed individuals claimed that someone in their household had been a victim of sexual assault in 2023, marking a 4.3% rise from the previous year.
Domestic violence and sexual harassment have been identified as tactics of control, used both in domestic settings and politically, especially against female dissidents. This underscores the urgent need for more robust interventions and policies to address and prevent such pervasive violence.