The United Nations reports that nearly one in three women experience violence in their lifetime. Girls are at particular risk of violence—1 in 4 adolescent girls is abused by their partners.
For thousands of women, the cycle of gender-based violence ended with one final and brutal act—their murder by partners or family members.
In Saint Lucia, the awareness is being raised again as the 16 days for activism against gender-based violence commenced on Monday Nov 25, 2024 and will run until Dec 10, 2024.
Gender Affairs Minister Dr Virginia Albert-Poyotte says the Department of Gender Affairs is partnering with a French agency to tackle the issue of domestic violence in Saint Lucia, particularly against women and girls.
“It is focused on our attempts at trying to end violence against women and girls. We have had many situations where women and girls find themselves victims of domestic violence and we have to unite, we have to invest, so that we can end that kind of violence,” she said.
Dr Albert-Poyotte notes that domestic violence is an issue which affects both men and women, adding that the Department will be promoting gender equality in all its efforts. “And I have indicated that the Department of Gender, it is not a department just for women, but it is a department that has to promote equality between both men and women. So I call on all Saint Lucians and people around the world to come together.”
In 2022, the government passed its novel Domestic Violence legislation, which was lauded by many international organisations.
Dr Albert-Poyotte says the government has been training police officers on how to properly handle domestic matters.
“We have done training for police officers so that they understand how to implement certain sections of the act. We also did training for magistrates so that they understand the implication of the Act and how they handle disputes and matters that come before them,” she said.
