Research shows domestic violence is a major driver of The Bahamas' crime problems

'Crime Driven By Domestic Violence'

NEW research shows domestic violence is a major driver of country’s crime problems, Social Service Minister Melanie Griffin revealed.

Addressing the premiere of the docudrama “Get Out” at the New Providence Community Centre over the weekend, Mrs Griffin said Bahamians cannot continue to “bury their heads in the sand” when it comes to reporting abuse within the home, as research undertaken by the Bahamas Crisis Centre shows children who are abused become desensitised to violence, and are more likely to carry weapons to school or social events.

“To put it bluntly, many of the young males paraded before the courts today charged with violent crimes and many of the young girls committed for uncontrollable behaviour were themselves likely victims of some type of abuse,” Mrs Griffin said.

“Over the years we have hurt ourselves by ignoring the problem, because studies show that unchecked domestic violence not only escalates, but manifests itself in many other different ways.

“The stark reality is that our crime problem will not be solved if we do not solve the problem of domestic violence.”

Violence within the family, particularly against women and children, has been an “open secret” in the Bahamas for many years, the minister said.

“All too often we have turned a blind eye and a deaf ear to the scars and screams of those who are regularly beaten and by doing so we have, in fact, hurt ourselves.”

She explained that Bahamian law defines domestic violence as physical, sexual, emotional, psychological or financial abuse committed by a person against a spouse, partner, child or any other person who is a member of the household or dependent.

For its part, she said, the government has passed legislation in the form of the Domestic Violence (Protection Orders) Act, 2007 providing legal protection for victims and counselling intervention for perpetrators.

In 2008, changes to the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Act increased the sentence for the offence of rape to life imprisonment and criminalised voyeurism, sexual harassment and certain forms of pornography, she said.

“Last year the government established a National Task Force on Ending Gender-Based Violence and approved a State Accountability Study to end Violence against Women and Children funded by UNWomen. These two initiatives are designed to co-ordinate the work of all agencies in the fight against violence and to produce a national strategic plan to eliminate gender-based violence.

“The work of the National Child Protection Council and the Child Protection and Urban Renewal Units of the Department of Social Services, as well as our community and school-based programmes are also ongoing.

“We must all realise, however, that no government can do everything. We need the help of every man, woman, boy and girl to fight this onslaught. It is up to you to report the crime of domestic violence just as you would any other crime,” she said.

Mrs Griffin said the filming of the docudrama was a step in “the right direction” as it seeks to raise the level of awareness of the problem and discuss what can be done about it.

“The organisers are commended for bringing the project to fruition and we pray for its success. I thank you,” she said. “The importance of this film cannot be stressed enough as it brings focus to a most pervasive global and national problem, domestic violence.

“I applaud Mr Trevor Clarke, director, and Mrs Patrice Lockhart-Stubbs, executive producer, the production staff of Fujon Media Video and Photography and the actors involved in creating this docudrama for their outstanding work,” Mrs Griffin said.

January 21, 2014

Tribune 242

Amnesty concerned over 'apparent inaction' of the Bahamas towards 2008 report issues

By AVA TURNQUEST:



HUMAN rights group Amnesty International has expressed concern by the "apparent inaction" of the Bahamas government towards any of the issues tabled in the 2008 report published earlier this year.

The report tabled concerns over the death penalty, domestic violence and migrant's rights, and provided suggestions towards restoring the country's commitment to promoting and protecting human rights.

Commenting on the police and security forces, the report stressed: "The lack of an independent body to investigate allegations of ill-treatment involving police officers undermined confidence in due process."

Yesterday, Amnesty International spokesman R. E. Barnes named the allegations surrounding the deaths of Patrick Strachan and excessive force used on Emmanuel McKenzie as two examples of inaction towards the report, as the organisation is unaware of any conclusion to either investigation.

He also criticised Government's refusal to release reports on the Carmichael Road Detention Centre.

Amnesty International calls on Government to:

Repeal all provisions allowing for the death penalty and immediately declare a moratorium on all executions;

Ensure that all complaints of excessive use of force by the security forces are subject to immediate, thorough and independent investigation and, if state agents are charged with misconduct, that their cases are brought to trial in an expeditious manner;

Amend existing legislation to ensure that marital rape is outlawed;

Ensure the full and effective implementation of the Domestic Violence Protection Order Act;

Implement migration policies that protect human rights, including ratifying and implementing the international convention on the protection of the rights of all migrant workers and members of their families.

Mr. Barnes added: "We are concerned first and foremost about human rights, however we always try to allow governments or the appropriate bodies sufficient time to follow proper protocol.

"Our job is simply to observe and note what's occurred. However, it is our fervent hope that a report on the Detention Centre is forthcoming."

December 05, 2009

tribune242

Bahamas Caribbean Blog International

Bahamas: Spotlight on sexual violence

By THEA RUTHERFORD ~ Guardian National Correspondent ~ thea@nasguard.com:



A Bahamas Crisis Centre-hosted symposium on sexual violence held on Wednesday, November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, brought noted panelists together to increase awareness of the burning issue.

Held for a half-day at the C.H. Thompson Memorial Youth Center of Transfiguration Baptist Church, the symposium included presentations from physicians, psychologists, politicians and representatives from both the police sexual offenses unit and the Attorney-General's office.

In addition to remarks from the various stakeholders, students from Expressions of Excellence, the drama group at C.C. Sweeting High School, performed a skit to illustrate the issue.

Her Majesty's Prison superintendent Dr. Elliston Rahming was among the first to address the group, citing alarming international statistics for sexual assault.

One in 33 men and one in six women will be assaulted during their lifetime, Rahming said.

Statistics for the report of incidences of sexual assault were equally dismal, with Rahming noting that 60 percent of cases in the U.S. went unreported. He said that there were no specific numbers for the report of cases in The Bahamas.

"Sexual violence is a very serious problem but again in The Bahamas we see it as a law enforcement problem," said Rahming. "More and more countries are seeing it as a public health problem. When you look at the wide ramifications of violence and sexual abuse, it has any number of attachments — psychological, sociological, healthwise and otherwise, so we agree that we have a problem."

Rahming also shared common myths about the causes of sexual violence and the nature of its perpetrators. "The first is that sexual violence, domestic violence, occurs primarily or typically among poor persons — that is a myth. It runs the gamut straight across the spectrum," said Rahming.

Other myths include the notion that the victim deserves the abuse and that domestic violence is a private matter between husband and wife. Rahming also addressed the "blaming the victim" attitude that questions why the abused person does not leave, noting the psychological complications underlying such circumstances that such reasoning oversimplifies.

"If you have been abused or if you have been sexually victimized, you ought to know that it is not your fault and you have a duty, not an option, to report it," said Rahming. "Thirdly, you're not alone . . . help is available."

Dr. Ada Thompson joined the prison superintendent on the panel of speakers with a talk on the devastating consequences of spousal rape.

"Spousal or marital rape is more common than we know," said Thompson, a medical doctor who is also a minister of the gospel. "I've had some patients who have been raped scores of times by their spouses . . . but because we live in a society where men's rights, in spite of all the declarations we may sign, still seem to take precedence over the woman, then most times he gets away with it."

Weeks after the government's consideration of the proposal to amend the Sexual offenses and Domestic Violence Act in order to ban spousal rape became public, a debate raged in the news headlines between supporters and proponents. Religious leaders on both sides of the debate have been among the most vocal in public discussion of the issue.

Thompson dismissed the claims of those opposed to the still pending ban.

"You have some men of the cloth who are saying that it is not possible to rape a wife, because she is a wife she has given up her right to say no. And of course I challenge that," said Thompson. "She hasn't given up her rights to be a human being and if you violate her rights to being a human being, the right to say no . . . then that is violence and violence of a sexual nature is rape."

Underscoring the importance of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women during the symposium, director of the Crisis Centre, Dr. Sandra Dean Patterson said:

"We thought to recognize [this day] by focusing on the whole issue of sexual violence. Sexual violence is deadly business. Rape is a four letter word that raises fear and terror in many, many women and is the source of emotional devastation and pain for all who are violated. It's the worst invasion of privacy that an individual can experience. It violates your physical body but also your soul and your spirit."


December 1, 2009

thenassauguardian

Bahamas Blog Bahamas