Found at: http://www.anguillaguide.com/article/articleprint/4134/-1/140/
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Domestic Violence Meeting Fires Up Anguillian Women
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Women in Anguilla have joined their colleagues in the Caribbean and Latin America in a sixteen-day campaign to increase awareness of domestic violence through a series of activities. The campaign runs from November 25, International Day of Violence against Women, until December 10, Human Rights Day.
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Evalie Bradley (sitting) and Lana Hoyoung
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A number of Anguillian women met at the Ebenezer Methodist Church on Sunday evening, November 26, under the leadership of Evalie Bradley, Principal Assistant Secretary in the Chief Minister’s Office with responsibility for Gender Affairs.
She noted that there was a considerable amount of work to be done to have the issue of domestic violence permanently on the national agenda. She pointed out that a sobering fact was that the Attorney General’s Chambers was involved in the drafting of an OECS family law relating to domestic violence.
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Some of the women at the meeting
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Mrs. Bradley said that while there was much concern about the various forms of gender-based violence, there were new trends emerging such as trafficking in women and children and other forms of violence using such facilities as the internet and cellular phones.
The main speaker was Lana Hoyoung, former Principal Assistant Secretary in the Chief Minister’s Office, now a women’s rights activist in the community. She gave an outline of domestic violence statistics in the Caribbean including Anguilla and its effect on national life and the need for governments, women’s organisations and other bodies to take a strong position with a view to dealing effectively with the matter.
She noted that while some men and boys complained about domestic abuse, there was no comparison with the level of violence being experienced by women and girls.
Dr. Phyllis Fleming-Banks of Hope Network was also an active participant in the meeting. She delivered the opening prayer and later read a poem which told a story of domestic violence.
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Dr. Phyllis Fleming-Banks of Hope Network
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Those at the meeting were horrified when they were shown a video entitled “The Belizean Reality”. In the documentary women from all strata of the society came forward and related some of the most terrible incidences of domestic violence which left them scarred or maimed for life.
In other cases some women died as a result of the violence at the hands of their partners. The video was chilling and disturbing. It served to rekindle the determination of the Anguillian women to fight domestic violence whenever it raises its ugly head and to give their solidarity to other victimised women elsewhere.
The meeting, largely attended by members of the National Council of Women, Hope Network and other women groups, was a success both in terms of attendance and what needs to be done to address the growing problem. The meeting fired up the women to take a strong stand against domestic violence.