Activists: Not enough being done on domestic violence

There are renewed calls for the authorities to implement more strategies and enforce laws to protect victims of domestic violence.

The plea came from a group of activists who held a virtual discussion on Wednesday.

“Shades of Domestic Violence” was a collaborative initiative between the International Women's Resource Network (IWRN) and the US Embassy.

Among the panellisst were deputy public relations affairs officer at the US Embassy Naureen Naila; journalist Bobie-Lee Dixon; US domestic violence advocate AnnDena Fredrieka McCleary; progranme co-ordinator at Cure Violence Transition Team Gregory Sloane-Seale; founder of Women of Substance in Tobago Onika Mars ;and IWRN’s president Adriana Sandrine Isaac-Rattan.

Isaac-Rattan said “Shades of Domestic Violence” sought to discuss and highlight the different types of abuse and triggers in men.

She said, “Why 'shades'? Because there are that are lighter than others and then there are the darker ones. But at the end of it all, it is all violence, whether physical, verbal or otherwise.

"Abuse and violence can be triggered by rejection, anger, sexual issues and obsessive behaviours.”

Sloane-Seale said apart fromthe known forms of abuse there were many others that must given attention. These include financial and emotional abuse, intimidation, threats and isolation.

He said, “There are a small number of people that have a social disorder, a sociopathic and psychopathic tendency.

"We also have a larger number of abusers who were abused themselves, maybe as children, so they are just repeating the cycle of abuse experienced in their development. In some cases, abuse may not have been directed to them, but growing up in a family where parents or guardians were involved in physical, verbal, emotional abuse can predispose an individual to become an abuser.”

The panel shared details of their own abusive relationships and the victories as survivors of domestic violence.

In 2020, there have been several domestic violence cases, with some resulting in the murder of women, suicide of the male companion, or death and injuries to children.

The latest gruesome case to grab public attention was the murder of Reshma Kanchan, who was allegedly chopped to death by her former partner on her way to work. Sunil Dookie, 36, later slit his throat and then drove off but crashed a short distance away. He was charged with murder.

Kanchan, 25, was the mother of two.

Domestic violence survivor Dixon said the law did not fully help or co-operate with women reporting incidents. She said she encountered problems when she tried to report her ex-partner, since he knew someone in the police service, and stopped aher reports being investigated.

“Thankfully I got out and it is over now, and he has been incarcerated,” Dixon said.

She called for stakeholders to implement more practical resources to help women who were faced with domestic violence.

“A national action plan is needed and should involve education on domestic violence at all levels of the system, because we have a violent culture.”

Abuse trauma rehabilitation centres were necessary, she said, because this type of trauma was lingering.

"We do not want our women going back into certain relationships that would replay what we ae trying to get them out of.”

She also recommended better-trained first responders, educators and people in the communities dealing with abuse, practical living quarters for survivors and/or children, creation of policies, implementation and enforcement of laws and efficient justice systems. and proper social services.