Paulina Quintao – More than 100 cases of domestic violence have been left pending in the Public Ministry due to the alleged victims' reluctance to give evidence.

Domestic violence issues prosecutor Ivonia M. Guterres said the 119 cases would be committed to trial if the purported victims were willing to co-operate with the Public Ministry.

Prosecutor Guterres said the alleged victims reported the crimes but would later refuse to answer calls by ministry staff and hid when justice officers went to their homes.

She said the crimes were reported between 2013 and June 2014. During that period 236 cases were committed to trial.

Judicial System Monitoring Program (JSMP) executive director Luis Oliveira Sampaio said he believed the laws prohibiting domestic violence were effective.

Sampaio said cases were being tried faster than in the past. He said crimes committed in 2013 were being tried this year. "This is good; in the past it could take three years."

Source: http://www.thediliweekly.com/en/news/gender/12870-domestic-violence-prosecutions-left-in-limbo