At a Nov. 1, 2024 hearing of the Comisión de Asuntos de las Mujeres, participants pressed for changes to a draft measure affecting victims of domestic violence, arguing the text must guarantee legal assistance, clarify scope and emphasize prevention.

Speaker 1, Unidentified Speaker, said the proposals under discussion would render prior suggestions about victims’ access to legal help “meaningless” and warned the measure appears to assume “we lost the war against gender violence.” She said public policy should focus on removing abusers, not restricting victims’ rights: “un país refugio, donde a los que haya que sacar de circulación sean los abusadores, no a las víctimas.”

Speaker 2, Unidentified Speaker and a licensed attorney who recorded her name for the record as “licenciada Abreu Rivas,” disputed a characterization attributed to another legislator and said special laws and penal-code provisions that address domestic violence are already present in the project’s nature and intent. She recommended explicit statutory language to avoid ex post facto problems and to clarify that accessing services must be the victim’s choice, citing “inciso b del artículo 3.10 de la Ley 54.”

On practical steps, Speaker 2 proposed adding a clear guarantee of legal assistance — for example, cooperation with the Colegio de Abogados — and suggested recruiting and retaining staff through more attractive remuneration and contracts. She also urged coordination so victims who seek orders of protection are referred to medical services and hospitals as appropriate.

Speaker 2 flagged a “diversity gap,” saying the draft does not explicitly include immigrant communities, LGBTIQ+ people or persons with functional diversity, and urged language changes to prevent discriminatory barriers to services. She further said the bill focuses on response rather than prevention and recommended highlighting preventive duties already enumerated in “artículo 4.1 de la Ley 54,” including functions of the Procuraduría de la Mujer.

Speaker 4 questioned whether the Procuraduría currently fulfills prevention duties; Speaker 2 answered no and recommended the Procuraduría coordinate with nonprofits and existing public-health initiatives to deliver early support and community education. On procedure, Speaker 2 recommended that protocols begin when an order of protection is issued so victims remain informed and less likely to be re-victimized.

Speaker 3 closed the session with thanks to the witnesses and members and announced the commission’s adjournment at 1:18 p.m. on Nov. 1, 2024.

The hearing produced no recorded votes or formal motions; participants focused on drafting changes and implementation details to ensure the measure’s language aligns with existing law and protects access to services.