A Home for Victims of Domestic Violence

November 10, 1999 - Women and children who are victims of domestic violence will soon receive counseling and support when the Home for Battered Women opens its doors come January 2000. Last week Cabinet approved and gave the clear signal for the purchasing of the building which will be a temporary home to the victims.

According to the Minister of Health, Human Affairs, Gender Relations and Family Affairs, Hon. Sarah Flood Beaubrun, the Centre will not exist in isolation. "At the community level throughout the country we need to have an organized system to respond to the needs of persons needing assistance."

Minister Flood Beaubrun emphasized that as soon as the doors of the centre are open, there need to be very firm guidelines allowing persons to access the help and services of the Home. The minister also made it abundantly clear, "that once in, there must be a way of encouraging women to move on ."

A number of health officials will shortly embark on a visit to Canada where a very successful Family Violence Programme has been established. "We will be visiting Canada shortly, the intention is for us to link up with them so that they can assist us in terms of human resource development and helping us to implement programmes at the community level, so we ensure that in every community there are measures which can be taken to assist women who are victims." The minister ended.

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