Many magistrates lack knowledge to help domestic violence victims

Simone Morris-Ramlall

Many magistrates lack the legal knowledge needed to deliver justice to victims of domestic and gender-based violence, according to Guyana Legal Aid Clinic Managing Attorney Simone Morris-Ramlall, who says the local legal system is insensitive to gender issues and a restructuring is needed to ensure those who need help get it.

The clinic can be considered a hub for victims seeking legal redress for abuse, but Morris-Ramlall believes that the lack of knowledge about the Domestic Violence Act among many members of the magistracy as well as the bureaucracy