Help is available for victims of domestic violence

As the country joins the world in observing the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence, President of the Senate Alincia Williams–Grant is questioning whether affected individuals know of the services that are available to them.

In an ABS interview, Williams Grant says lack of knowledge in itself poses a crucial problem.

“If you find yourself being the subject of abuse, you can apply to the court for a protection order, and in the first instance, you get an interim protection order. The new structure that is in place is very efficient,” she states.

Williams- Grant adds that “the system works” but do people know that such a system exists.

In addition to lack of knowledge of the resources available, she also notes that those who know about the system may not trust it.

“They don’t trust the system because when they go to the people, the first course is the police. The police tell them, find your lawyer or this is not for them to get involved in.”

According to the Attorney at law, the law specifically sets out in Section 3 an obligation on the part of the police officers to not only advise the person who feels threatened, but also advise the accused of what their rights and obligations are.

She says the police have a fundamental role to play in the execution of justice insofar as the domestic violence legislative framework is concerned.