radhica.sookraj@guardian.co.tt
Stalking is a crime in T&T, yet Samantha Isaacs was stalked for months by her killer who terrorised her family before finally ending her life last Saturday.
And even though the necessary laws are in place, women’s rights activist Hazel Brown believes it is time for the community to work towards preventing incidents of domestic abuse.
Brown, former co-ordinator of the Network of NGOs of T&T for the Advancement of Women, said in every community there are respected leaders who can act as mediators in cases of conflict.
She said the notion of “not getting into husband and wife business” must be abandoned as the community has the power to intervene and help families who are experiencing domestic problems.
“Even before it reaches to the level of violence, community intervention could work to help people,” Brown said.
She also called for a national gender policy and explained that there can be no proper enforcement of laws unless a national policy is adopted.
“The policy is at the centre of everything. For too long women’s issues have been sidelined. The media does not help because all you looking to do is sell papers. Nobody really cares what happens to the victims,” Brown said.
Nester Flanders Skeete, founder and chief executive officer of Domestic Violence Survivors Reaching Out (DVSRO) said T&T is failing its women and children.
Cases must be reported, she said: “Those turning a blind eye to persons in domestic violence are cruel, heartless and just as guilty as the abuser. Everyone’s eyes are wide shut and is only when another victim fall, everyone pretends to care. The media does an interview or two show some form of interested and on to the next story.”
Skeete called for training for first responders of domestic violence and said corporate T&T should invest in programmes for the abused.
However, attorney Kevin Ratiram, who has offered legal representation to victims of abuse, said the laws against domestic violence are well suited to prevent abuse and stalking is one of the things specifically catered for under the Domestic Violence Act under the heading of emotional and psychological abuse.
“The persistent following of a person from place- to- place and the besetting or watching of a person’s house is considered as abuse. Under the act a victim of stalking can apply for a protection order. If the applicant reports to police that there was a breach of that order, the police are empowered to arrest and charge the offender for breach of a protection order which is a criminal offence,” Ratiram said.
He said any police officer who fails to act when a report of domestic violence is made can also be charged.
“Perhaps it is about time we start prosecuting such errant police officers to ensure that in future officers do their duty under the act,” he said.
Ratiram said all protection order applications must be treated urgently and called for hearings to he expedited as quickly as possible.
Isaacs, 27, of L’anse Mitan Road, Carenage, was found semi-nude on a road near the Ocean View hotel in Carenage, bleeding from gunshot wounds to the head and chest. Her estranged lover, Kahriym Garcia, of Upper Haig Street, Carenage, the father of her four-year-old son, was found dead at his home with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot injury to his head. Police said around 5 am Saturday, Isaacs’ body was dumped along the street by someone driving a black Hyundai Elantra.
Domestic Violence Act Chap 45:56
21(1) A police officer shall respond to every complaint or report alleging domestic violence whether or not the person making the complaint of the report is the victim.
Emotional or psychological abuse” means a pattern of behaviour of any kind, the purpose of which is to undermine the
emotional or mental well-being of a person including—
(a) persistent intimidation by the use of abusive or threatening language;
(b)persistent following of the person from place to place;
(c)depriving that person of the use of his property;
(d)the watching or besetting of the place where the person resides, works, carries on business or happens to be.