Workshop trains citizens to aid abuse victims
An ongoing campaign to equip individuals and groups with the basic skills to advocate for victims of abuse and organize support groups, opened today at NDFB’s building in Belize City. Hosted by the Women’s Department, the training sessions are part of a countrywide campaign to educate community leaders and workers in the public service about several topics, among them: how to identify and aid abuse victims. Brenda Garbutt, Human Development Co-ordinator at the department, says the workshop held in the five other districts have been very successful.
Brenda Garbutt, Human Development Coordinator, Women’s Dept.
“We are covering areas like sexual harassment, domestic violence, as well as alcohol and drug abuse, public relations, anger conflict management, all the dynamic stuff.”
“The course is designed for para-professionals, we have teachers police officers, nurses, community leaders, women development officers, these are the front line people who see the domestic violent cases first.”
Eloy Cocom, Counsellor, Youth Hostel
“At the Youth Hostel we usually have juvenile delinquents and this seminar will help me understand their situation. It will also help me to do the case studies when it comes to dealing with the families and the after care plan and so forth. Because then we have to understand the parents relationship and the children’s relationship.”
Javier Castellanos, Police Officer
“It’s a very interesting topic. Like how I am a police officer, I could apply these ideas on the streets and it will help me learn how to identify domestic violence. I definitely know that man, woman and children are facing it.”
Guadalupe Gillett, Women’s Development Officer, Cayo
“The purpose or objective of the conference is from these front line people that get the training. We’re hoping to form a core group, and from that core group start some support group for victims. So we are hoping to be more pro-active instead of just giving out information to the general public. We are actually trying to form core groups and support groups for victims.”
The seminar continues every Friday until February twenty-third. If you’d like information on domestic violence counselling, you can contact the Women’s Department, BOWAND or the Family Services Division.
