Dear Editor,
Regardless of all that is being done to protect abused women and empower survivors there will hardly be a dent in domestic violence until there is an equal, if not greater focus on perpetrators and the potential to be perpetrators. This issue has been raised time and again in panel discussion workshops and webinars organised by The Caribbean Voice, that embrace stakeholders from across the Caribbean and the Diaspora, sometimes internationally as well. Thus, we found out that not only have advocates and activists been lobbying for redress, but some of them have set up NGOs seeking to fill this gap. It is the understanding of The Caribbean Voice that the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security has a plan relating to this issue and so it is hoped that funding to implement the plan will be forthcoming if the PPP is returned to government. Alternatively, should there be a new government we hope that such a plan will be crafted and implemented nationally, a plan that seeks to change attitudes, and reengineer behaviour – individual, family community and social. The fact is that very often we hear people come out with info about relationships that should have been red flags catalysing their interventions, but nothing is ever done. This too needs to be changed as tackling DV has to be everybody’s business.
Meanwhile, The Caribbean Voice, in collaboration with stakeholders across the Caribbean, is organising a Caribbean Anti-Violence (DV, youth and school) event next year in an effort to align the focus on building and implementing pragmatic, community-based action plans while engaging government, private sector, NGOs, and grassroots leaders to create practical, culturally relevant solutions to tackle violence wholistically.
My Heart Walks With You
T h e C a r i b b e a n V o i c e