Attorney General Anil Nandlall on Friday announced plans to revamp the domestic violence laws and related legislation and to rollout 24-hour units to help abuse victims.
The announcements coincided with the opening of Domestic Violence Interview and Virtual Hearing Rooms at seven courts within the Berbice Magisterial District as a result of a partnership between the judiciary and UNICEF.
Speaking at the opening of the special room at the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court, Nandlall acknowledged the devastating spin-off effects of domestic violence, which he said destroys the social unit of the family that forms the basis of modern society. He said the effects of the attack on the family manifest not only in the form of violent crimes but also in suicide, alcoholism, prostitution, sexual abuse, trafficking in persons, etc. “A whole series of crime and social conduct that are unacceptable to a civilized society,” he said.