– specialist urges holistic approach
US domestic violence prevention specialist, Dr Ruth Feder says survivors in any country need concrete help in moving forward; help which she identified as expanding beyond services to include shelter, education, employment and financial assistance among other things.
Resource limited environments obviously pose challenges, but she said such provisions often translate to real changes and according to her, there is scope for programmes which have been effective in the US to be implemented in Guyana.
Feder made the observations yesterday during a media roundtable at the Pegasus Hotel. She is here at the invitation of the US Embassy. Feder, a Pre-Suit Case Manager and attorney, is currently lecturing on behalf of the US State Department as a consultant in the area of gender-based violence.
Feder told reporters yesterday that the approach in her country has been “holistic”, in that survivors are offered assistance in countless areas including “how to budget”. The system, she said, has also made things easier because people can walk into a single space and access a range of provisions which are available. However, she emphasized that it took years before the US was able to streamline such provisions.
In the US assistance is offered in the areas of employment, education, how to balance financing in addition to services aimed at changing clients’ statuses. Since she is here to meet stakeholders and share ideas on how to effectively tackle domestic violence, Feder said programmes which have worked in her country would be on the agenda.
She referred to two specific initiatives – integrated domestic violence courts and family justice centres.
The family justice centre, according to her is a “one-stop shop” providing victims with access to the police, state prosecutors, child protective services, economic advisors, matrimonial and family law attorneys among others. She explained that the integrated courts make provisions for judges trained in the area of domestic violence to preside over the cases.
She said statistics point to significant reductions in some states in the US based on the approach taken, but stressed that “this didn’t happen overnight”. Feder said agencies in the US are willing to not only provide domestic violence training in Guyana, but are also prepared to collaborate on programmes in addition to offer some assistance. It was pointed out that the collaboration is not likely to be at the government level, but rather with non-governmental organisations.
Feder also stressed that the US has a zero tolerance policy on domestic violence, adding that cases are prosecuted without the victims. In such cases, the authorities utilise photographic and forensic evidence, statements which were provided by victims; and experts are also testifying when women retract statements.
She recalled a recent attempted murder case where the woman retracted her statement and appeared as a witness for the defence, but after the prosecution presented its case the attacker was convicted. “A lot of victims will retract their statements; remember this is someone they love,” she said, but stressed that the attacks are crimes and should be viewed as such. Referring to a local report on the death of Dionne Stephens at Vigilance, East Coast Demerara, Feder said there was something which jumped out at her; the disclosure that Stephens was threatened by her attacker in front of a police officer.
She said that in the US the man would have been promptly arrested. However, she pointed out that the statement in the article might not have been accurate.
Further, she advocated reaching out to youths saying, “talk to kids in high school”. She pointed to the Students Terminating Abusive Relationships (STAR) in the US where youths shared stories of what was happening in their homes, communities; looking for an outlet to talk and help each other.
Additionally, she said training needs to be ongoing, particularly for the individuals who are working in enforcement.
Feder will host a public forum today which is hosted by the US Embassy at Hotel Tower between 5 and 7 pm on the issue of domestic violence.
