The East Berbice Life Savers group is appealing to the Ministry of Human Services to augment its counselling and other services aimed at arresting domestic violence, by providing a full-time counsellor, a hotline and a small subvention to help it fulfil its mandate.
In a press release, the group said domestic violence is a cancerous plague, fuelled by deep-seated societal and cultural norms, that continues to destroy the most essential fabric of our society – the familyand it aims to curb this epidemic by re-educating both men and women about their roles and relationships.
The group was launched in 2001 at the Roadside Baptist church and includes religious leaders, teachers, housewives, community workers, community police and social workers in Region Six from New Amsterdam to Crabwood Creek. Persons were identified to undergo intensive training in domestic abuse related issues and counselling provided by Uma Singh and other facilitators and trainers including Beverly Chan, Vidya Kissoon, Rosemarie Terberg, Karen Gomes from the Help and Shelter and women lawyers.
The volunteers were trained to work with victims as well as perpetrators and to educate women and girls about their basic human rights, the law, relationships and the accepted cultural norms that contribute to domestic violence. To date, awareness sessions have been held in several communities across the region including at Orealla, Siparuta and Black Bush Polder. Life Savers also conducts intervention exercises such as accompanying victims to the hospital and police station, counselling victims, family members and perpetrators, referrals to the probation department and child protection.
Recently, it received support from USAID through the Governance Enhancement Project 2010-2011 to equip another batch of volunteers for service and it had also received support from other donor agencies such as CIDA through BCCP, the United Nations Drug Control Programme – UNDCP and the Women’s Leadership Institute.
The group also recently launched its men’s action group Be-MAN, with support from US Ambassador Brent Hardt, to engage men and boys of all age ranges in discussions pertaining to gender, gender roles, healthy relationships and other related matters.
Although it boasts counsellors who serve voluntarily, there is urgent need for a full time counsellor and a hotline as persons frequently request such services from the group. Life Savers said it hosted a fundraising exercise in the form of a book sale at the Corriverton market where it netted about $20,000. As such, the group is appealing to the ministry for support, including a small subvention to meet travelling expenses. Life Savers can be reached at telephone numbers 338-4215.
