The Tribune

By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

THE Family Protection Against Family/Youth Violence’s two-day workshop will be held on October 30-31 at Superclubs Breezes to tackle the issue of violence in the home and society.

Proceeds will aid the establishment of the first family/foster youth transitional home.

Presenters include former Director at the Department of Gender and Family Affairs Dr Jacinta Higgs as well as Bahamas Faith Ministries Senior Pastor Dr David Burrows.

The workshop includes various discussion topics such as digital violence and pornography and how to recognise family in the workplace and schools.

Cheryl Walkine, founder of Marriage and Family Alliance and presenter at the workshop, explained the event will also have discussions on corporal punishment and the affects of “sweethearting” on society.

“We're going to be talking a little bit about the marijuana legislation and how that impacts family and how marijuana, alcohol, and other drugs have impacted family and created violence and would have ignited cases in our society,” Ms Walkine added.

"We'll be talking about the Protection Against Violence law that was recently passed. This conference is actually a tribute to the late Obediah Wilchcombe. Part of his legacy will be that bill and we’ll talk a little bit of how we can build upon that to make it more protective and not only deal with the protection aspect, but the prevention aspect of that.

“It will also deal with, the whole programme deals with policy, parenting and programming. We will have like four sessions during the two days. That’s generally it. We’re talking about child abuse prevention. We’re talking about suicide, which is obviously self inflicted violence.”

Ms Walkine highlighted concerns of child neglect.

“We're particularly concerned about those children who have become wards of the State and that's a small percentage of those who probably need to be, or taken into consideration, but, of course, the ministry can only do so much and it's only doing so much,” she said.

“Even the fact that one of the homes has to close, one of our intentions is to be able to raise funds to open a foster home. A foster transitional family and foster youth home. That we are raising funds for that's what our campaign is about.”