We are women in the Red Thread Domestic Violence Self Help Group who are devastated by the way the lives of women and children continue to be destroyed by domestic violence.
We would like to know exactly how far the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security has reached in putting into place the various arrangements that are called for in the Domestic Violence Act (DVA). Some of us have been reading Red Thread’s Household Guide to the DVA and we noticed that section 44 (1) of the act says that a number of actions should be taken by the Director of Human Services to alleviate domestic violence and abuse. These include:
* promoting and developing educational programmes to prevent domestic violence;
* studying, investigating and publishing reports on domestic violence – its manifestations and scope; the consequences and the options for eradicating it along with the Police Force and other agencies and groups;
* identifying groups and sectors in society in which domestic abuse is manifested and educating them in the skills needed to combat domestic violence;
* creating awareness of the needs of victims of domestic violence and their families;
* developing strategies to encourage changes in the policies and programmes of government agencies to improve how they respond to the needs of victims;
* establishing and encouraging the establishment of programmes on information, support and counselling services for victims;
* encouraging programmes of services for boys and girls who come from homes where there is abuse and violence;
* providing training and orientation services for police officers and people who assist in treating and counselling victims; and
* analysing and carrying out studies on the need for education and retraining to rehabilitate persons who engage in domestic violence and abuse.
As survivors of domestic violence, we believe that progress updates on all steps taken to make the DVA effective must be given.
More than anyone else, we want to see our women and children live a life free from violence. The high number of women murdered for this year alone shows how far we are from this goal.
Yours faithfully,
Shirley Shaffeek
for Red Thread Domestic Violence Self
Help Group
