Domestic violence subject of regional meeting
While few cases of domestic violence ever reach the level of the Supreme Court, it doesn’t mean that the issue is not a critical one for Belize. For the next four days delegates from all over Central America are meeting here to find answers to the persistent problem.
Jose Sanchez, Reporting
Some say that men are from Mars and Women hail from Venus. And while the debate goes on, delegates from seven regional countries are in Belize to discuss the realities of gender inequality–especially the problem of abuse.
Anita Zetina, Director of Women’s Department
“My presentation today will be focusing on gender. We’ll be looking at the difference between gender and sex, sex, referring to your biological make up and gender, referring to your social construction. From there on we’ll be looking at what we go through in our socialization process to behave as men and women in our society. Also, our roles as men and women and what it implies, what impact it has in the lives of men and women in our society and perhaps what will be some the strategies to start changing.”
In an effort to address these issues government created the Family Violence Unit. Corporal Faye Usher, one of today’s presenters says that most of the work of the unit has to do with giving guidance and not necessarily making arrests.
Corporal Faye Usher, Family Violence Unit
“If a victim comes into a victim to make a report, lets say for example that victim has received injuries, our first priority is to get that victim to a hospital to get medical attention. The police also assist in getting that victim removed, maybe she wants to get into the house and take out her personal belongings. We work closely with Haven House, if they need somewhere to stay for the time being until they make up their mind because not all the victims who comes to the office wants court action the first time.”
Raul Valeriano, Coordinator, FCOC-C.A.
“We are here to share experiences with other Central American countries with regards to domestic violence. We believe it is a social evil that is pervasive throughout the world. Belize is a member of the Central American Federation of Communal Organizations and is represented today by BOWAND. We would also like to learn from our Belizean colleagues how they do their work in trying to eliminate the causes of domestic violence and in turn for Belizeans to learn from others how to eliminate this social evil.”
Karen Bodden, Counsellor, Belize Family Court
“I hope that the conference will allow me to better understand those issues that are affecting both genders currently in the Belizean society. Secondly, I would like to become more sensitized to what is happening in the region.”
Anita Zetina
“One of the things of gender, is that gender varies between culture to culture, among countries. Therefore, it is going to be very enriching to hear the kinds of attitudes and the kinds of expectations that their societies have towards men and women. We will also be able to share with them our situation in Belize, so I think we will look at that and that will be very enriching for the entire workshop.”
The discussions may come up with some interesting strategies to enhance equality, but the reality is that it’s a long way from the Stone Age to 2001. Reporting for News 5, Jose Sanchez.
This is the fifth regional conference of the Federation. Meetings run through Wednesday and field trips on Thursday and Friday will take the group to Crooked Tree, Bermudian Landing, Dangriga and Hopkins.
