The Guyana Police Force (GPF) received a total of 1,662 domestic violence reports and investigations led to 894 persons being charged and placed before the courts.
Commissioner of Police (ag) Nigel Hoppie made this revelation last Thursday while delivering remarks at the opening ceremony of the GPF Annual Officers’ Conference.
The figure represents a just over 10% increase in the number of reported cases compared to 2019, when Hoppie said 1,449 reports were received.
Apart from those who were charged, Hoppie said that 106 persons were warned last year.
The acting Top Cop explained that the force is working on a multi-agency approach in targeting domestic violence.
As a result, he said ranks are obligated to take the “appropriate” actions when dealing with matters of this nature.
“In relation to domestic violence, with the force’s zero-tolerance approach and policy, no rank can up [and] settle any matter but must take appropriate action, leading to the matter being placed before the courts,” Hoppie said.
Additionally, Hoppie noted that the force has also pursued an “aggressive” policy for training of ranks on domestic violence, which has become institutionalised, forming part of the curriculum for recruitment at the Felix Austin Police College.
In view of the serious effects of domestic violence on society, Hoppie further stated that the government has also established a 914 hotline, where persons including victims of domestic and sexual violence can call for assistance.
The 914 hotline was also launched late last year under the Spotlight Initiative in direct response to the escalating number of domestic and sexual violence cases.
The 24-hour toll-free hotline allows persons to call to report the crime and also seek assistance.
When a call is placed between 8 am and 4.30 pm, it is routed to a trained customer service operator, who, in turn, will connect the caller to a social worker.
Calls made after these hours and during the weekends will be forwarded to the cellphones of social workers and calls are expected be addressed with confidentiality. The social workers are expected to provide necessary consultations and refer children and parents to local service providers and other relevant agencies.
The Spotlight Initiative is a global, multi-year partnership between the European Union and the United Nations to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls by 2030. It was launched here on November 1st, 2020.
