The Ministry of Social Protection’s Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Policy Unit yesterday began training of frontline operators from Regions One, Seven, Eight and Nine to better address this scourge.
GINA said that this two-day training is being held at the Cara Lodge and is being facilitated by Acting Chief Justice, Roxane George-Wiltshire.
Its aim is to increase their knowledge about sexual and domestic violence and their ability to respond effectively when intervening in violence cases.
Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Social Protection, Adrian Ramrattan explained that the Ministry “will enhance enforcement of the international instruments we have signed on to in the quest against the twin evil. At this point, I think it is timely to remind us that Guyana does not lag behind ratifying international instruments to help combat the twin scourge of domestic and sexual violence.”
GINA said that he added that the Ministry will also forge alliances with
civil society agencies, and Non-Governmental Institutions to achieve the goal of stopping domestic and sexual violence, and it will also enhance public programmes using social and multimedia to combat the scourge.
“We are outraged that sexual and domestic violence victims still fear reporting the crimes against them; we are outraged that some of the reported cases never make it to trial, and we are even more outraged that there are so few successful prosecutions. With your support, we can make our homes safer,” Ramrattan said.
Justice George-Wiltshire highlighted that the Sexual Offences Act 2010 is gender neutral.
“Originally, sexual offences especially rape could have only been committed by a male against a female but now based on the rape definition is much, much wider than that,” The Acting Chief Justice said.
