BUSINESS & LIFE: A spotlight on domestic violence

Before I begin the article for this week, I wish to Congratulate VF Inc Hitters, the Ballorama and League Champions of the Rayburn Blackmoore/Petro Caribe Soft Ball Competition. I am proud of them and urge them to see these victories as stepping-stones to bigger and better things. I want them to bask in the glory of their success, but to not become complacent but use these victories to spur them on to more success. Well Done! I pray God’s continued Blessings on them and their families.

On the heel of a successful PCWS 2014, I intended to write an article about Women in the workplace, however I never got round to it. Then the tragic event in Mahaut took place and I believe this is another opportunity to put the spotlight on Domestic Violence. The incident in Mahaut also forcefully brought home the message that domestic violence occurs across all strata of society: young, middle aged, elderly, low income, middle income, high income. It begs us to take a holistic view of and on domestic violence.

In 2013, the theme for International Women’s Day was “A promise is a promise: Time for action to end violence against women.” This was complemented by the declaration of the 25th of each month as Orange Day (established in July 2012) to highlight the issue of violence against women and to commit to ending violence against women. This is further reinforced by the declaration of November 25, as the “International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.”

These initiatives focuses the attention on violence against women and it would be interesting to see the data nationally as well as globally on the incidence of violence against women before the initiatives and now. Are we seeing a decline in incidence or is it rising? Does the data account for the fact that greater access to reporting may appear to inflate the numbers? Does the data account for the fact that there may still be a stigma to reporting incidence of violence, hence underreporting? I don’t have the data for before and after the initiatives nationally and globally, and this is one of the limitations of this article.

We however have some statistics released recently by the Bureau of Gender Affairs. The Bureau reported 559 recorded victims, of whom 479 were female, and 422 children and youth with 349 of those below the age of consent. There were 526 perpetrators of which 445 were males and 81 females. This picture strengthens my case for a holistic approach to the issue of domestic violence, for the date reveals a rate of abuse of 86% against female and 75% rate against children and youth, with the majority being children (93% of the children and youth population abused are below the age of consent).

This is alarming. It points to the vulnerability of our children, especially our young girls. It screams that we need to wake up to protect our children. We need to ensure our homes and society are safe havens for our children. We cannot gloss over that data by making a general call for the end of violence against women. We need an urgent call to end violence against children, to go right along with the call for the end of violence against women and we must also not forget our men, though smaller in numbers, who are victims.

I don’t know whether this profile is repeated globally, however given the international focus on women, I doubt. Our Dominican profile of domestic violence indicates that we need to tailor the international response to our situation. We have to pay special attention to our children and youth. This is further affirmed when the breakdown of abuse reveals a 62% rate of sexual abuse, 30% physical and 21% psychological. This again speaks to the overlap of abuse.

How do we address specifically our profile, which indicates that sexual abuse among our children and youth is our biggest area of concern, and this is not isolated from physical and psychological abuse? The effects of sexual abuse are often long lasting. I remember very vividly while a student at the Mahaut Primary School, a child of about 7 or 8 was sexually abused by a good friend of her family, and the matter was hushed to not cause embarrassment to both families, yet the entire village, I am sure knew. Even as a child, I was enraged by this for I thought that if the young man truly considered himself a friend of the family, he would not have done such a despicable thing. I also remember going to the mother telling her she should report the matter to the police and demonstrate that she loved and cared for her daughter. She did not. That child grew up very quiet and reserved, however between 18-20, she became very promiscuous and when people said all manner of unkind things about her, I defended her, for I felt this was her way of finally acting up and in some sense punishing her family for not protecting and defending her when she was so vulnerable and needed them most. I carried and to this day still carry a very special warm place in my heart for this child who is now a young adult, who fortunately was able to resolve her issues through counseling and is leading a very happy and productive life. Incidents like this still happen in 2014. We need to not only speak, we need to act to eradicate sexual abuse and to provide counseling for the victims. I also believe we need to provide counseling for perpetrators, while also ensuring they are punished. I don’t think the two are mutually exclusive.
This year, the theme for International Women’s Day is “Inspiring Change.” This theme recognizes that while work has been done in creating greater gender-equality and reducing violence against women, a more sustainable change is needed. How do we ensure a sustainable change, which will lead to a reduction in domestic violence against women? I believe, as I indicated earlier, we need to broaden the scope. We need to focus not just on women, but also our children, youth and men. With respect to violence against children, youth and women, men are the greatest perpetrators. The national statistics revealed that 85% of perpetrators are male, however it also points to a significant percentage 15%, being women. Women are also abusing our children and youth. We need to understand the causes before we can get to the solution. What causes a man to violate a woman, physically, sexually, mentally and emotionally? What causes a woman to accept that violation? What effect does the domestic violence have on the victim as well as the perpetrator? Are victims likely to become perpetrators against others they deem weaker? What percentage of female perpetrators victims of abuse?
We need to open and broaden the debate nationally. We need to get down to the source, the root to address this issue. We need to enhance the educational programs. We need to keep the spotlight focused on the issue until it inspires the change we want for a violence-free society. Our efforts need to be relentless, not just on Orange Day, International Day to Eliminate Violence against Women but we need to craft a programme whereby this becomes part of our every day consciousness, so we teach our children, not to be abusers or to suffer in silence if abused.

We need to listen and take action when victims tell their stories. There are too many instances when victims are vilified or not believed when they tell their stories. I am not ignorant to the fact that some stories are fabricated, and I believe that those persons should be dealt with as abusers. I however, believe that the incidence of this is small. We need to address the victim, but we also need to pay attention to the abuser. We need to provide counseling; we need to address issues of self-esteem. We need to provide support so they do not re-offend.

The Bureau of Gender Affairs has organised a “Blow Your Horn” campaign against violence against women, however, I wish they would broaden it to be a campaign against domestic violence and that this serves as the rallying call for action that will “Inspire Change,” and be supported by a series of events, activities and discussions in the coming year and years. I encourage all, particularly men and participants of our Phenomenal Caribbean Women Symposium to be part of this campaign: to take a bold stand against violence in its myriad forms: be it physical, sexual, mental and emotional. We owe it to our children. We owe it to ourselves. We owe it to our Country.

Until we meet again, May the Lord continue to Hold us in the Palm of His Hands.