Forum set on domestic violence
Saturday, January 28, 2006
By LISA S. KING, Freeport News
FREEPORT – The Grand Bahama Crisis Centre in conjunction with the Marco City Urban Renewal programme will host a forum on domestic violence in an effort to heighten awareness and promote further education on this growing social plague on Monday, January 30, at the Foster B. Pestaina Hall of the Pro-Cathedral of Christ the King beginning at 7p.m.
Domestic violence is prevalent world-wide with many of the incidents stemming from violence against current or former spouses, boyfriends, girlfriends and even family members.
Sadly, because of this great scourge, a great number of men and women, but mostly women, are also murdered by their husbands or boyfriends.
According to Dr Jean Turnquest-Brown, head of the Grand Bahama Crisis Centre, domestic violence has become an increasing problem in Grand Bahama and The Bahamas in general.
She said murder statistics for the island shows that domestic violence is often an associated factor. Additional-ly, many individuals are in abusive relationships which they are unable to resolve and often the abuse increases in frequency and in intensity.
Dr Turnquest-Brown states that victims of domestic violence often remain in abusive relationships because of ignorance, for lack of awareness of choices available and many other reasons. "We are inviting everyone to join us as we strive to promote that a victim is not responsible and choices are available," Dr Turnquest-Brown said.
"As we speak out against domestic violence, we are empowered, able to exercise our rights and better protect ourselves. As a result, we can defuse violence in the home and ultimately achieve a reduction in the rate of those murders associated with domestic violence."
In addition to Dr Turnquest-Brown, other panelists speaking at the forum will include Assistant Commissioner of Police Ellison Greenslade, attorney Constance Mc-Donald, Rev. Robert Lockhart and Clarence Riley.
Among the many incidents of domestic violence the island will never forget was the brutal stabbing murder of Tiffany-Smith Laroda, 30, by her husband following an altercation they had had the previous day. Another incident was when 27-year-old Ann Thompson, a mother of four, was discovered by her 12-year-old daughter in the bathroom of her Hanna Hill home with a yellow nylon rope around the neck. Initially, before obtaining the autopsy report, the death was thought to have been an "apparent suicide."
Police investigations later led to her estranged husband being charged with her death.
1833 Corporal Terry Barry, coordinator of the Marco City Urban Renewal Project, said he is very pleased with plans for the upcoming forum, which is expected to give advice on how to decrease violence in the Grand Bahama community.
He said the Marco City Urban Renewal team was able to go into the community, identify its problems and respond by finding the best avenue to deal with them.
"By tapping into the Grand Bahama Crisis Centre, we are able to find help for the domestic problems we had witnessed. The Centre is well equipped and experienced to deal with them," said Cpl. Barry. "So that is what we in the Marco City Urban Renewal do: identify problems in the community and then get certain entities to help deal with the problems."
Mr Barry said in order for any community to grow, become a place of tranquility and for it to remain stable, there must be a participation of all sectors society.
"We are like a bridge between the Government and the community," he said.
Copyright © 2006 The Nassau Guardian. All rights reserved.
Saturday, January 28, 2006
By LISA S. KING, Freeport News
FREEPORT – The Grand Bahama Crisis Centre in conjunction with the Marco City Urban Renewal programme will host a forum on domestic violence in an effort to heighten awareness and promote further education on this growing social plague on Monday, January 30, at the Foster B. Pestaina Hall of the Pro-Cathedral of Christ the King beginning at 7p.m.
Domestic violence is prevalent world-wide with many of the incidents stemming from violence against current or former spouses, boyfriends, girlfriends and even family members.
Sadly, because of this great scourge, a great number of men and women, but mostly women, are also murdered by their husbands or boyfriends.
According to Dr Jean Turnquest-Brown, head of the Grand Bahama Crisis Centre, domestic violence has become an increasing problem in Grand Bahama and The Bahamas in general.
She said murder statistics for the island shows that domestic violence is often an associated factor. Additional-ly, many individuals are in abusive relationships which they are unable to resolve and often the abuse increases in frequency and in intensity.
Dr Turnquest-Brown states that victims of domestic violence often remain in abusive relationships because of ignorance, for lack of awareness of choices available and many other reasons. "We are inviting everyone to join us as we strive to promote that a victim is not responsible and choices are available," Dr Turnquest-Brown said.
"As we speak out against domestic violence, we are empowered, able to exercise our rights and better protect ourselves. As a result, we can defuse violence in the home and ultimately achieve a reduction in the rate of those murders associated with domestic violence."
In addition to Dr Turnquest-Brown, other panelists speaking at the forum will include Assistant Commissioner of Police Ellison Greenslade, attorney Constance Mc-Donald, Rev. Robert Lockhart and Clarence Riley.
Among the many incidents of domestic violence the island will never forget was the brutal stabbing murder of Tiffany-Smith Laroda, 30, by her husband following an altercation they had had the previous day. Another incident was when 27-year-old Ann Thompson, a mother of four, was discovered by her 12-year-old daughter in the bathroom of her Hanna Hill home with a yellow nylon rope around the neck. Initially, before obtaining the autopsy report, the death was thought to have been an "apparent suicide."
Police investigations later led to her estranged husband being charged with her death.
1833 Corporal Terry Barry, coordinator of the Marco City Urban Renewal Project, said he is very pleased with plans for the upcoming forum, which is expected to give advice on how to decrease violence in the Grand Bahama community.
He said the Marco City Urban Renewal team was able to go into the community, identify its problems and respond by finding the best avenue to deal with them.
"By tapping into the Grand Bahama Crisis Centre, we are able to find help for the domestic problems we had witnessed. The Centre is well equipped and experienced to deal with them," said Cpl. Barry. "So that is what we in the Marco City Urban Renewal do: identify problems in the community and then get certain entities to help deal with the problems."
Mr Barry said in order for any community to grow, become a place of tranquility and for it to remain stable, there must be a participation of all sectors society.
"We are like a bridge between the Government and the community," he said.
Copyright © 2006 The Nassau Guardian. All rights reserved.
