The Tribune

THE task force appointed by the government to address gender based violence got down to business in the first of what will be bi-weekly meetings.

The task force, which represents a wide cross section of the Bahamian community, was presented with three discussion topics by chairperson Rubie Nottage, her deputy Dr Robin Roberts and Superintendent of Police Elaine Sands, officer in charge of the Eastern Division.

Dr Sandra Dean-Patterson is also a deputy chairperson.

Mrs Nottage opened by stating the vision of the task force, “A Bahamas free from gender based violence”, and its mission – “To eradicate gender based violence in the Bahamas”.

She then asked the task force to address the question: “Where are we now?” by considering the current practices, policies and protocols in place.

Dr Roberts said gender based violence is a public health disorder.

He presented statistics on the number of persons who visit the Princess Margaret Hospital each year as victims of physical assault, including cases of gender based violence, in an effort to highlight the high incidence of violence in general in the community and its impact on the country’s financial and material resources.

Dr Roberts noted that every day, there is at least one person treated in the Accident and Emergency Department of the PMH who has been the victim of either a shooting or stabbing.

He quoted data from the Health Information and Research Unit of the Ministry of Health which suggests that serious bodily harm is the second leading cause of death in young people in the Bahamas.

Dr Roberts said gender based violence affects children adversely at every phase of their development.

The impact on boys in particular cannot be over emphasised, he said.

Research studies show repeatedly that boys who witness their fathers beating and mistreating their mothers are more likely to do the same later in life.

According to Superintendent Sands, gender based violence is prevalent in practically every district in the Bahamas.

She gave some numbers of reported rapes and attacks on women, and spoke about the heavy cost to victims and society of physical, mental, emotional and financial abuse.

The task force expects to submit a written mid-term report by December 2013 with the completion of its formal and complete report on gender based violence set tentatively for the middle of 2014.

The committee will meet next on August 29.