A house owned by Woman Incorporated (Woman Inc) has been refurbished by the Embassy of Japan in Jamaica for $14 million and will be a Transition House for women who are seeking to leave abusive relationships.

The facility, which is located in St Andrew, was officially handed over to Woman Inc on Thursday (August 19) after the Embassy of Japan had completed the two-year reconstruction work to the building, which has been in the care of Woman Inc since 1991.

It will serve as a place where women can stay when they want to end their abusive relationship and have nowhere to else to live. They will be taught lifelong skills during their stay at the facility, which will assist them to get back on their feet.

Women’s Leadership Initiative got assistance from CIBC First Caribbean Bank to furnish the premises, which was once used for prostitutes who were being abused on the street. The facility, however, had fallen into disrepair after it was not used for several years.

According to First Secretary and Director of Economic Affairs and Cooperation Noriko Oshima, the Embassy of Japan in Jamaica felt compelled to act after receiving the request from Woman Inc for assistance to refurbish the house.

“Having learnt of the urgent need by the Woman Inc to rehabilitate its Crisis Centre and Shelter Operations, we endorsed and provided funding for this project,” Oshima said.

“We are pleased to witness the handing over of this facility that is designed to provide a safe environment to the survivors and victims of gender-based violence who have nowhere to go except to remain in their household and living situation where they may continue to have challenges.

“While at this transition house, the female residents are expected to live without risk of harm. Simultaneously, they will be able to take training classes in skills that empower them going forward,” she added.

She said the assistance was provided under Japan’s Grant Assistance for Human Security Projects, which is aimed at strengthening the island’s ability to respond to the needs of health and emergency care, education, community development, agriculture and other areas such as gender affairs.

“Locally, Japan provided funding support to tackle the issue of gender-based violence because the guiding principle of Japan’s development cooperation is human security. This concept makes provision for the right of individuals to live happily and in dignity, free from fear and want, through their protection and empowerment.

“With the addition of this Transition House, I hope that Woman Inc will continue to offer quality service to all beneficiaries who are valuable citizens in this beautiful nation of Jamaica,” Oshima stated.

A message from Olivia Grange, the minister of gender, culture, entertainment and sport, who had another engagement, was read by Dr Tamika Peart, director of the National Shelter Programme at the ministry.

According to Grange, the facility fits comfortable into the ministry’s plans to fight gender-based violence in Jamaica. She said the ministry has just established a new unit which will provide a coordinated approach to rescue women who are living in violent relationships.

“The Transition House will be most useful for women and children to regroup from domestic violence,” Grange said.

Joyce Hewett, executive director of Woman Inc, said the facility will form part of the 37-year-old entity’s effort to lighten the burden on women who are travelling on a dangerous life journey.

She said many women want to leave an abusive relationship and, because they are not able to find accommodation, they sit and suffer in silence. The Transition House will give them a place to stay as they try to rebuild their lives.

Hewett said Woman Inc has branched out from just providing help directly to women to being instrumental in providing training for individuals to identify those who are encountering domestic violence as well as to help the women overcome the trauma.

According to Hewett, members of the Centre for the Investigation of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse (CISOCA) have been trained by Woman Inc.

Hewett said assistance that Woman Inc has been able to offer to women over the years, has been done with money garnered from events such as trade fairs, which have helped in the establishment of the Women’s Crisis Centre, which has a facility in Kingston and another in Montego Bay.