Brazil to found shelter network for domestically abused women

RIO DE JANEIRO, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Brazil Wednesday unveiled a plan to invest 135 million U.S. dollars to build shelters for female victims of domestic violence in all state capitals nationwide.

The "Women: Living without Violence" program also calls for improving medical treatment for the victims at the facilities known as the "House of the Brazilian Women" and expanding an emergency hotline.

An average of 10 Brazilian women fell victims to sexual abuse every hour last year, according to a government estimate.

"Women will have access to all public services, including security, healthcare and social assistance, in a single place," President Dilma Rousseff said of the new initiative.

In mid-2006, then President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva signed a law over domestic and family violence, which tripled previous punishments for those convicted of violence against women and also created special courts in all states.

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