A seminar, giving knowledge and skills to more effectively deal with domestic abuse was organised by the Commonwealth Secretariat, in partnership with Guyana’s judiciary and the Commonwealth Magistrates’ and Judges’ Association.
“There are many cases where women have been beaten and have died at the hands of their spouses,” says Wintress White, who works at Red Thread, a women and children’s rights organisation in Guyana.
“Cases go unreported because women are too afraid to come forward. And sometimes no action is taken if they do come forward. We need police to know about domestic violence. We need prosecutors to know about domestic violence,” she says.
Accompanying victims of domestic violence to the local police station and supporting them through court proceedings is routine for Ms White, who says that in most cases – and there are many - the victims have little or no recourse to justice. In Guyana, as in most countries around the world, there are often few services or resources, such as safe houses, for abused women and children.
Last week, Ms White attended a two-day seminar in Georgetown focussed on tackling domestic violence in Guyana, organised by the Commonwealth Secretariat in partnership with Guyana’s judiciary and the Commonwealth Magistrates’ and Judges’ Association. The seminar provided people working in Guyana’s criminal justice system with the knowledge and skills to deal with domestic abuse more effectively.
“This seminar concerned the rule of law,” says Mark Guthrie, a Legal Adviser at the Commonwealth Secretariat. “It concerned equality before the law and human rights, and the right of victims of domestic abuse to be accorded respect and receive justice in the courts. It is the obligation of any state to secure the human rights of those who live within its borders,” he says.
The seminar was part of the Commonwealth’s ongoing programme of work to strengthen the rule of law in member countries. It covered a wide range of topics, including experiences of the police, underlying causes, tools for prosecuting the guilty and perpetrator and victim myths. It offered an opportunity to understand underlying issues, discuss challenges and share best practice.
Participants ranged from judges to police officers and were encouraged to take an active role in all the sessions. The discussions were led by a team of experts from a range of Commonwealth jurisdictions including England, Cayman Islands, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, India and Turks and Caicos Islands.
While the victims of domestic violence can be men and children, the overwhelming number of incidents involve women. According to UN Women, it is estimated that around 35 percent of women globally have suffered either physical or sexual abuse or both at some point in their lives. In some countries that figure is as high as 70 percent.
“Let’s stop talking about causes and effects and let’s see what we can do to help women be independent and escape violence,” urges Ms White. “Women have the right to safe homes. That’s a line we need to push to our governments.”
