Domestic Violence to the forefront

Honourable Minister of Health and Community Services, Delmaude Ryan

Domestic violence reform legislation for Montserrat, fashioned one of the rare moments of unity on both sides of the aisle, at the last meeting of the Legislative Council on Tuesday. The reform comes at a time when local statistics shows a steady escalation in Domestic violence cases during the last five years.

The “Domestic Violence Bill 2019,” which is one of several legislations proposed under the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), was presented on the floor for its second reading, garnering passionate discussions on the relevance and importance of the legislation. The bill was previously read in parliament in 2018.

Presenter of the bill, the Honourable Minister of Health and Community Services, Delmaude Ryan reported that in 2018 the Social Work department reported a total of 5 physical abuse cases, 2 emotional abuse cases, ten sexual abuse cases, 4 neglect cases and 4 domestic issues. Similarly statistics from the Royal Montserrat Police Force (RMPF) revealed that the last 2 years had shown 7 cases for each year consecutively.

In her presentation the Minister explained that the bill helps to deal with some of the gaps in the Family Protection Act and provides police officers with clarity of their role. Other areas presented in the bill includes, the issue of protection orders and the criteria in which a police officer can make an arrest without a warrant.

She said, “Although the bill on its foundation directly focuses primarily on violence against women, this bill is gender neutral in that it considers both men and women experience domestic violence abuse, although the report supports that more women and girls are victims.”

Minister Ryan urged that, “The bill also focuses on relations and should not be misinterpreted as if it only applies to women. But it refers to the applicant, or the respondent or the child who have been caught up in this unfortunate circumstances.”

Opposition member, the Honourable Dr. Samuel Joseph stood in support of the bill in a passionate presentation to the honourable house. “I would like to make it clear that I will be supporting this bill as put forward by the Minister of Health and Social Services‒ it is our duty as legislators to make the correct decision and support the protection of the vulnerable of our society. It is a fact that the less socially and economically well off you are, it is the most likely that you are abused. It is also a fact that if you are an immigrant and you do not fit in the society that you are more likely to be abused. We were elected and it is our duty to stand up for the people who do not have that voice, who are afraid to speak and not be tip-toeing around the issue.”

Dr. Joseph warned his fellow parliamentarians, stating, “You can’t be to the left and the right at the same time, trying to sit in the middle of the fence. You have to make a decision, it’s either you are with the victims or with the perpetrators and it is my job as a legislator to defend the victims. It is not everybody that have people in high society, that when they commit crimes and it goes to court, they have the high society members who show up in the court to advocate on behalf of the perpetrator, this is what happens in Montserrat‒ If we were elected it is up to us to take on the duty of representing the people that do not have that.”

RMPF Inspector Courtney Rodney speaking on the issue of Domestic Violence and similar legislation, said, “As it relates to domestic abuse- we have in fact seen an increase, however with the help of legislation being enforced‒ things will be much easier for us to police and offer better assistance to the victims.

“Currently if we respond to a domestic abuse matter we rely heavily on the victims to give us that info ‒ that evidence to actually take that matter forward for them. However with the new legislation one of the benefits of it is that on arrival at the scene the officer’s observation itself will suffice, so no longer will we be relying heavily on the victim in this regard‒ the officer’s observations will be there to take the matter forward to court.