Durrant Pate/Contributor

Jamaica’s Gender-based Violence (GBV) Helpline Unit, which was officially established in September this year, is now inundated with cases.

The unit, which was launched on March 1, 2022 to support victims, survivors and witnesses of GBV, and has to date dealt with 7,466 cases, of which 5,227 involved females and 2,239 males or 70 per cent females and 30 per cent males.

Gender Minister Olivia Grange gave an update on the work of the unit in Parliament last evening, as Jamaica observed 16 days of activism against GBV, which was part of the observance of International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (IDEVAW), on November 25, each year. The 16-day period expired on December 10.

She advised the House of Representatives that the unit has made six important partnerships through the Parish Coordination Platform with the Jamaica Constabulary Force, the Victim Services Division, Jamaica Fire Brigade, the Women’s Crisis Centre, Ministry of Labour and Social Security as well as the Child Protection and Family Services Agency, to provide a coordinated response to address GBV.

Detailed workings of the unit

The unit ensures that all women and girls, men and boys affected or exposed to GBV can access the professional psychosocial support and necessary treatment needed to effectively address their needs, allowing them to leave their abusive situation. The unit undertakes a multi-sectoral approach to provide support services to survivors by creating a seamless link to service providers under each ministry, department and agency, through the GBV Referral Pathway.

The unit offers support services to the victims and survivors of GBV at the community and national level, inclusive of psychosocial support; GBV-related information; counselling; assessing the survivors’ needs and allowing space for safety planning. The GBV Helpline Unit is the gateway to the National Shelter.

Grange told the Parliament that the Government is “currently conducting assessments as guided by the National Strategic Action Plan to Eliminate Gender-based Violence in Jamaica (NSAP-GBV) 2017-2027. This includes a robust review of the GBV legislative framework, including the enactment of the Sexual Harassment (Protection and Prevention) Act; the establishment of the National Shelter programme; the signing of MOU’s with key ministries, the development of the GBV Referral Pathway, extensive GBV training and other key programmes.”

Strengthening Jamaica’s collective response

These activities are being undertaken to strengthen Jamaica’s collective response towards eliminating GBV. The Minister pointed to the Women’s Health Survey, commissioned by UN Women, in partnership with the Inter-American Development, which reveals that approximately one in four Jamaican women has experienced intimate partner violence during her lifetime.

Domestic violence, she argued, remains a major concern as it is often under-reported owing to fear, stigma, lack of support or fear of reprisals noting that sexual violence is alarmingly prevalent, affecting one in three women, and includes three rape, incest, and sexual harassment as well as other forms of violence, such as sexual abuse, exploitation and discrimination.

Gender responsive actions

In response to the challenges, Grange said her ministry, through the Bureau of Gender Affairs, has embarked on a series of decisive and gender-responsive actions to tackle GBV, such as the National Strategic Action Plan to Eliminate Gender-Based Violence in Jamaica (NSAP-GBV) 2017-2027, which outlines a comprehensive roadmap for seamless and effective coordination. She stated that the plan is being implemented through the following strategic priority areas:

· Prevention, Protection, Investigation, Prosecution

· Enforcement of Court Orders

· Victims’ Rights to Compensation, Reparation, Redress

· Protocols for Coordination of the NSAP

· Data Management Systems