Third State-Run Facility for Domestic Violence Victims Near Completion

The third State-run facility for victims of domestic violence is close to completion, says Principal Director, Bureau of Gender Affairs (BGA), Sharon Coburn Robinson.

Making the disclosure during a recent presentation to the Caucus of Women Parliamentarians at Gordon House, she noted that the new facility will serve as a transitional space.

“This third space will not be serving as a regular shelter, because we already have two that are operational. It’s dubbed as a transition hub, because…you have persons who would have wanted to leave that confidential space… but they do not yet have the means or wherewithal to move into a safe space, because we do not allow them to go back to the harmful and unsafe environment,” she explained.

“So, that transition hub will be that space that is safe, and it will not be as restricted as the one that we have now, the two operational spaces. They’ll be able to commute, and so if somebody is studying or working, the child is in school, they’ll be able to move freely,” she added.

Mrs. Coburn Robinson further informed that the facility would allow for training and recovery and “all of the things that we can’t do with the first two that we have, because those spaces are highly confidential and for sometimes high-risk cases, and so the movement is restricted”.

The establishment of the government-run shelters for women who need to leave violent relationships has been one of the priority programmes of the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport.