PS: Increase in rape, killings of women

While violence against anybody at any level is an issue of human rights, there has been a slight increase in femicide and rape in this country, said Jacqueline Johnson, Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister, Gender and Child Affairs.

Johnson said one in every three women is affected by some form of domestic violence in her lifetime.

She spoke during a coffee break on Wednesday, at the CEDAW (Convention of the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women)
Committee TT's 40th-anniversary celebration held at the Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs Tower, Richmond and London Streets, Port of Spain.

Johnson said violence against women, young girls and boys continues to affect Caribbean societies and will always be a major area of concern.

“We see it in our country. We have a high rate, yes, of reported cases of domestic violence. Based on the information that we get from the Central Domestic Violence registry, things have reduced slightly and it is our hope the trend will continue.

“What we have seen is a slight increase in femicide (the killing of a woman or girl, in particular by a man and on account of her gender) and we have not done the research to determine why that is happening, but we certainly have more cases reported."