diariodecuba.com
Independent Observatories Confirm Two New Femicide Cases in Cuba
With the recent cases in Las Tunas and Havana, the total number of femicides in Cuba this year reaches 25
On Wednesday, the Observatorio de Género de Alas Tensas (OGAT) and the feminist platform Yo Sí Te Creo en Cuba (YSTCC) confirmed two new femicide cases on the island, raising the number to 25 so far this year. Both organizations released a statement verifying the incidents.
The first case involved Katia Ortiz Figueredo, aged 25, who was attacked by her ex-partner in a public area in Las Tunas on June 5. The assailant had a history of gender-based violence against Ortiz Figueredo, who leaves behind two young daughters.
The second case occurred on May 18 in the Barrio Obrero area of San Miguel del Padrón, Havana. Cindy Samanthy González Espinosa (known as Samy), aged 32, was found by her ex-partner while hiding at a friend’s house and was subsequently murdered. The perpetrator had a record of violence not only against González Espinosa but also other ex-partners, with no preventive measures taken against him.
OGAT and YSTCC emphasized the widespread issue of gender-based violence in Cuba, highlighting that many recent cases involved perpetrators with previous convictions. For instance, in an incident in Chicharrones, Cienfuegos, the attacker was on prison leave despite previous convictions for sexual assault. The organizations called for greater government involvement to address this crisis.
They also reported three attempted femicides and indicated a need for access to police reports on six additional cases of murdered women. Among the 25 femicides verified this year, there was also a rare instance of a gender-related murder of a man, a first since these organizations began their investigations.
In 2023, these observatories recorded 89 femicides, including 67 attacks with bladed weapons and 39 victims aged between 31 and 45. Twelve of the victims had previously reported their attackers to the police to no avail. Out of the attackers, 76 were partners or ex-partners of the victims. Despite the alarming numbers and clear evidence, the Cuban government’s response has been inadequate.
Read the full article in English on diariodecuba.com, using Google Translate.
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