The Prime Minister explained that the new domestic violence and child abuse acts are seeking to improve the reporting, investigation, enforcing and sensitivity towards the needs of victims. He spoke at the second meeting of the first session of the 11th Parliament.
He said that the law was created “To ensure that actions that the court has demanded are implemented, so that there is not a repeat and there is not a causing of the victims of domestic violence to live a life of continual fear; that the matter will be dealt with in its absolute state.”
He referenced section 24 of the act, which was instilled to make law enforcement intervention easier.
“The new provision there provides the police with the authority to be able to enter onto a premises without a warrant, if he or she believes that there is someone who is in danger, because of domestic violence misunderstanding.”
Prime Minister Skerrit encouraged that advocacy for human rights should not only occur when an individual is harmed, but should be an ongoing effort. He called on the citizens of Dominica to partner with the law to combat this problem in society.
“Those of us who have been, or who want to advocate against domestic violence must not do so only when an incident happens. We must engage ourselves in continuous advocacy, continuous education; so that the entire society from school children all the way up to adults, understand our roles as individuals.”
The government approved the new Social Services Department building and the special child abuse domestic violence sub unit in the Dominica Police Force before this new act was passed. The prime minister says this was done in confidence to speed up the process of giving victims justice.
Prime minister Roosevelt Skerrit has appealed to the media and the citizens of Dominica to be advocates for domestic violence and child abuse and not to scandalise the new legislation. He wants the seriousness of these laws to be acknowledged, not mixed in with political conflict.
“This is not something that any one of us in society should play politics with, this is too important a matter for us to scandalise it on social media- we have to ensure that the victims of domestic violence are given the support that they need, and not to scandalise this thing.”
The Hon Prime Minister also noted that in the future the state will look into building or renting facilities for the disposal of the welfare department.
