The Tribune

By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

POLICE Commissioner Paul Rolle said yesterday that domestic violence and protection of people at risk is one of the priorities of his policing plan.

His comments came as Royal Bahamas Police began a seminar that covers the Domestic Violence Act, gender equality and the domestic violence policy.

In his opening address, the police chief admitted there is “still much work to be done” despite a 39 percent decrease in domestic matters with 2,432 reported incidents in 2020 compared to 2019 when 3,902 incidents were recorded.

“I understand the value of training and its direct correlation to public perception which can positively or negatively affect our community relations,” he said.

“Over the course of the next three days, police officers and police reserves from every division in the force along with officers from the Family Islands will be participating in this type of training.”

He further acknowledged that although the official numbers are down, there may have been incidents not reported to police.

“What we report are those matters that are reported to us, but it can be reasonably assumed it could be more but to make sure that our officers are sensitised in dealing with the members of the public so that more persons would be willing to come forward and get help (police are holding this seminar),” he said.

Dr Jacinta Higgs from the Women’s Affairs Unit at the Department of Gender and Family Affairs revealed the research highlights increases in some offences globally during the COVID-19 lockdown.

She said: “Across the planet research coming into The Bahamas from the United Nations from the Commonwealth and also from CARICOM all indicate that domestic violence, abuse in the family, sexual offences would have increased during the COVID lockdown because you provide opportunity in the home.

“So, there is a concern. The Department of Gender and Family Affairs did a study with University of the Bahamas (UB) and again we saw a two percent increase.”

Dr Novia Carter-Lookie from the Bahamas Crisis Centre stated a major concern is once domestic violence increases child abuse also does.

“So our intention is to continue to educate the general public on how we can safeguard our children,” she stated.