Description
Domestic Violence has been endemic to our society for decades. This is a national issue that requires a national solution that cannot be short term. Both the public and private sectors have to be involved. Shelters have had to close during the last year because of a lack of funding.
Trinidad and Tobago, due to the drop in energy revenues, was in an economic downturn prior to the Covid-19 Pandemic. Companies have shut down and many people have lost their jobs. As sad as it is, we still need to ask. The Shelter has partially reopened because of the increase in Domestic Violence, but we desperately need to re-start our repairs so we can open fully and offer a full healing service to a minimum of 19 persons. That means we need your financial assistance.
Domestic Violence survivors need holistic solutions. Shelters need to be properly funded to provide the services needed. While in our Shelter, residents, including their children, receive all medical services, therapeutic counseling, housing which includes all personal supplies and meals and legal services. Children are also placed in schools, however, due to the pandemic at this time, they are attending online classes plus being supervised by a private teacher.
Services that should be available to residents includes the following: –
- Skillset training for adult residents
- Provision of temporary free housing for residents after it has been determined that first, it is safe for them to leave and secondly that they are emotionally and financially ready for this transition.
- Continued therapy including home visits.
- Perpetrator therapy to break the cycle of violence and enable positive co-parenting.
The shortlist above highlights the support needed for our survivors. It all costs money, which is why we are once more asking for support from both the public and private stakeholders.
The Shelter was established in 1987, by Diana Mahabir-Wyatt, we know what is needed to aid victims from being potentially a name in a death announcement to positive contributors to society. It is, unfortunately, a sad statistic that children who are brought up in a Domestic Violence environment tend to repeat the same lifestyle choices.
It is a fact that the necessary actions of the Government to protect the nation during COVID-19 has placed additional strain on relationships. Part of rebuilding must include rebuilding the lives of our beaten and broken women and children.
Join us as we do our best to save a woman’s life, to make a positive change in in the lives of her children, to break the cycle of violence against women and children. Help us to make a difference.