One in three women around the world is the victim of domestic violence, and activists who insist that is one too many are bent on doing something about it.
As part of activities across the world to mark the 16 Days Of Activism Against Gender Violence that started on November 25 – International Day For The Elimination Of Violence Against Women – the National Organization of Women (NOW) and the United States Embassy to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean teamed up with a number of agencies to spread the anti-violence message to Barbadians during a motorcade through parts of St Michael and Christ Church.
It started at Sagicor, Collymore Rock, St Michael, and made its first stop in Villa Road, Brittons Hill, for a spot meeting. Similar stops were made at Bonnetts Resource Centre, Silver Hill Housing Area, Gall Hill Housing Area and Oistins on the route back to Sagicor.
A music truck with songs highlighting women signalled to people in the various districts that something was happening, and at regular intervals one of the Women On The Move would take the microphone and encourage people to take a stand on violence against women.
Most of the participants were dressed in T-shirts in the designated colour purple, which carried the slogan We Denounce Violence Against Women on the back.
Deputy Chief of Mission at the United States Embassy, Christopher Sandolini, added his voice to the cause at Oistins.
He spoke to the role that United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton played in making women’s rights and the protection and empowerment of women around the world a major priority.
“Every US embassy around the world is carrying out programmes in support of it . . . . I’m proud that we’re doing this kind of work now because there is no doubt that in the United States, in Barbados and every part of the world, no country can reach its maximum potential or even come close to it unless it recognizes the role of women to be able to do what they are every bit as capable as men of doing and to play their role in society. That means our initial barriers have to be swept away,” he said, adding that violence against women was unacceptable.
Acting director of UN Women, Joan French, spoke to the residents in Villa Road. She said that things had come a long way in terms of how cases of abuse were investigated and the increase in the number of places where victims could seek help.
Even with those improvements, French said there were still too many cases of domestic and sexual abuse against women. She was also concerned that the cases were not being dealt with speedily enough in the courts.
Minister of Tourism and parliamentary representative for St Michael South Central, Richard Sealy, who was in Villa Road, endorsed the work being done by NOW and the other agencies to eliminate violence against women
“It is important, of course, that NOW is taking a fore-frontal role in this exercise, but I also think that men also must also come forward as well and must send a signal to our young men, in particular, that it is not good enough,” he said.
He pointed out the need to pass on conflict resolution strategies at an early age that would redound to improved gender relations and the complete elimination of the “unfortunate scourge”.
Representatives from the Mothers’ Union, the gender studies unit at the University of the West Indies, church organizations, nurses, the Young Women’s Christian Association and other groups gave their support to the cause.
In addition to taking the microphone at the spot meetings, they helped with the distribution of literature and condoms and gave an ear to the people in the communities.
