{"id":24349,"date":"2012-08-06T10:31:16","date_gmt":"2012-08-06T14:31:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.bahamasb2b.com\/news\/?p=24349"},"modified":"2012-08-06T10:50:54","modified_gmt":"2012-08-06T14:50:54","slug":"new-assistance-options-for-domestic-violence-victims","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bahamasb2b.com\/news\/2012\/08\/new-assistance-options-for-domestic-violence-victims","title":{"rendered":"New Options For Domestic Violence Victims"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"
Melanie Griffin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

NASSAU, The Bahamas — Minister of Social Services and Community Development, Melanie S. Griffin said a number of mechanisms have been implemented \u201cto assist victims and other persons who live in fear of domestic violence.\u201d<\/p>\n

These include the re-launch of a National Hotline, a national education and awareness campaign, assistance from the Family Services Division of the Department of Social Services and protection in the form of the Domestic Violence (Protection Orders) Act, 2007.<\/p>\n

Mrs. Griffin said her Ministry has already begun addressing some of the issues with the launch of an education and awareness campaign under the theme: \u201cDomestic Violence is Everybody\u2019s Business.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe campaign seeks to raise awareness on the issues of domestic violence, whether the victim is an adult, child, or senior citizen,\u201d Mrs. Griffin said. \u201cThe price of being raised in a violent family is one that is costly not only for the victim, but for the society as a whole. We recognise that violence is a learned behaviour and most often learned in the family.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mrs. Griffin said the campaign was launched in July and seeks to partner with churches, because of their wide audiences, and other groupings throughout the Commonwealth of The Bahamas to drive the message home.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is our hope that this campaign will end the tolerance of violence in families and inculcate a climate of peace, love and respect in our nation. We will continue to bring this message to churches, communities and civic groups and welcome any partnership for church or town meetings,\u201d Mrs. Griffin added.<\/p>\n

Minister Griffin said the Family Services Division of the Department of Social Services, Ministry of Social Services and Community Development, will also play a key role in the war on domestic violence.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Family Services Division serves as a support system to families experiencing domestic violence, while liaising with the Police,\u201d Mrs. Griffin said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Unit (also) assists the victim in securing shelter, food, travel and other essentials that may be required. Additionally, it also assists with the preparation of Protection Orders, if necessary, and arranges counselling for the family.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Unit has also assisted victims of domestic violence in seeking employment in order to establish (some sort of independence,\u201d Mrs. Griffin added.<\/p>\n

Minister Griffin said the Domestic Violence (Protection Orders) Act, 2007,, is another \u201cmechanism\u201d that has been put in place \u201cto save families and intervene in toxic relationships before they become even more toxic, or a fatality occurs.\u201d<\/p>\n

The legislation, she said, offers protection to men, women and children who are experiencing any form of domestic violence whether physical, psychological, sexual or financial.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt enables persons to go before the courts in forty-eight hours. It criminalises stalking and harassment. It mandates the police to intervene and help the victims.<\/p>\n

\u201cEspecially important, it can save relationships and the family because it gives a magistrate the power to mandate that the parties receive intervention and counselling, and lets the perpetrator of that violence know the consequences for him or her if they continue in their abusive behaviour that brought the victim to court for help,\u201d Mrs. Griffin added.<\/p>\n

By Matt Maura
\nBahamas Information Services<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Minister of Social Services and Community Development, Melanie Griffin said a number of mechanisms have been implemented to assist victims of domestic violence.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":45,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"facebook_10223285771444175_51037792744":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[352,334,219,120],"class_list":["post-24349","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-headlines","tag-abuse","tag-children","tag-violence","tag-women"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bahamasb2b.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24349","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bahamasb2b.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bahamasb2b.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bahamasb2b.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/45"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bahamasb2b.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24349"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.bahamasb2b.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24349\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bahamasb2b.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24349"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bahamasb2b.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24349"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bahamasb2b.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24349"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}