The Tribune

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS 

Tribune Staff Reporter 

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

THE government has finally bought a shelter to help domestic violence victims, but the timeline for its opening and other critical details remain uncertain.

Meanwhile, the Protection Against Violence Commission remains largely inactive a year after the passage of the Protection Against Violence Act.

The Davis administration had allocated $500,000 for shelter construction, but delays prompted scepticism among women’s groups.

Mr Laroda said the shelter would accommodate “multiple” people, including women and their children.

“We want to keep those abused women in particular, and their children in a safe environment,” he said, describing plans for security measures such as fencing and cameras.

Questions persist about how long victims will be able to stay in the facility. He said: “It depends on the severity, so it’s not as if the Department of Social Services will say to a mother, well you have one month to be here or one week to be here; it’ll depend on the need and the eventual resolution of the matter involving the bodies.”

The urgency of these developments is underscored by a recent Gender-Based Violence study conducted in April, which found that one in four women in The Bahamas has suffered physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. Survivors have expressed frustration over difficulties in accessing healthcare, law enforcement, and social services.

Mr Laroda was unable to identify the commission’s successes, which has been established.

“The commission is the coordinating body in the fight against gender-based violence that will bring together all partners,” he said. “The Department of Gender is currently carrying out comparable work.

“Work on establishing the commission and a fully functioning secretariat is underway. The Department of Gender and Family Affairs will manage the secretariat and intends to operate the office at international standards for addressing gender-based violence, as outlined by the UN’s CEDAW convention and the OAS’s Belem do Para. These will become the standard operating procedures for the secretariat.”

The Protection Against Violence Commission was created to support victims and liaise with police officers when victims feel they lack full cooperation from law enforcement. Its functions include strengthening the involvement of multi-sectoral stakeholders and fostering public-private partnerships to combat violence. The commission must aim to implement strategies and policies that provide care and support services, including shelters, counselling, and care and custody for children affected by violence.