The Tribune

By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

FORMER parliamentarian Loretta Butler-Turner said the Protection Against Violence Bill is the “first step” in the right direction.

She hoped the government would tighten “loopholes” in the legislation.

“I am definitely in support of it as of now,” she said on Saturday. “But I do not want us to dismiss any oversights that may not have been captured in it. It is definitely a first step. I believe that as we begin to enact it and use it, we may in fact, find that there are areas that need to be dealt with. The nomenclature for me is not as important as the law.”

Mrs Butler-Turner, the former leader of the Offical Opposition in the House of Assembly, echoed the Davis administration in saying the legislation would now cover everyone who is a victim of violence –– rather than only targeting women and children.

“When we say gender-based violence, we know that most of the victims are women and children,” she said. “However, the way that they have phrased it now and the way that it’s framed in the bill, it will cover everyone. And there are, in fact, other pieces of legislation that give protection to domestic violence in particular.”

Despite several women’s groups opposing the bill, the Protection Against Violence Bill has passed Parliament.

Mrs Butler-Turner said renaming the bill made it more inclusive.

“I think that while you might have some voices that are saying they prefer it to be called gender-based violence, we are advocates for gender equality; we are advocates for removing gender-based violence. But I think that the law as it’s now presented will not just be biased towards women and maybe children,” she said.

“But I would commend the government for moving forward with this piece. And hopefully, if there are any loopholes that need to be tightened, they would not be dismissive in moving forward.”

The former Long Island MP acknowledged the concerns about the revised bill, adding that a “common ground” must be met somehow.

Lisa Bostwick-Dean, vice-president of Women United, told The Tribune last week that women’s rights advocates would discuss their concerns with government officials about the Protection Against Violence Bill in a bid to amend the legislation.

In 2021, Mrs Butler-Turner became the Davis administration’s newly appointed consultant to the Small Business Development Centre.

• Equality Bahamas on Protection Against Violence Bill, see letters