Crisis/Trauma centre coming soon to SVG

A Crisis/Trauma Centre will soon be established in St. Vincent and the Grenadines to shelter victims of domestic abuse and other related acts of violence.{{more}}

On June 4, the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Social Investment Fund (SVGSIF) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the National Council of Women (NCW) to undertake the project, which is expected to be fully operational by 2010.

NCW will work in collaboration with the Ministry of National Mobilisation, Social Development, Youth and Sports and the National Committee on the Rights of the Child. SIF will contribute EC$425, 257 to the project.

Phase one of the project encompasses the physical works and improvement to the former Bella Vista Inn, located at Kingstown Park. This building was purchased by government in 2001 to establish the Crisis Centre. This phase should be completed by October 2009, while the second phase, external works, furnishing and staff training will begin in early 2010.

The initial intake will be ten residents at any one time and over time its capacity will increase to house at least 25 persons.

The centre will be sectionalised for sleeping arrangement for women, men, boys and girls. It will contain the following facilities: bedrooms, toilets, bathrooms, administrative office, kitchen, dinning rooms, laundry, counselling/examination room and play area for children.

Director of SIF, Angella Patrick, said society was plagued with many social ills that erode its social, cultural and economic fibre.

“These ills are escalating as a result of the growing global financial and economic crisis. Poverty, financial pressures and poor moral standards; the direct results of these are domestic abuse, domestic violence, delinquency and abandonment,” she said.

She continued: “In cases of abuse, chief among these are cases of incest and other family conflict and violence. Additionally, abandonment, sibling rivalry, vagrancy and truancy appear to be growing concerns in our society.

The contribution made by SIF was welcomed by President of the NCW, Muriel Byam. Byam said the signing of the MOU was important to women in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and has lifted the spirits of members of her organisation that the centre was becoming a reality.

“Over the years women have been battered, even men. Children have been abused and misused and had no where to go.”

The Ministry of Social Development was represented at the signing by Eli Francis, while Janice Fraser represented the National Committee on the Rights of the Child.