A Trainer-of-Trainers workshop to build the capacity of officials from government and non-governmental organisations working in Gender and Domestic Violence programmes across the Region will be held on January 28 to 30, in Trinidad and Tobago.
The workshop specifically targets officials working in the Gender or Domestic Violence Units of the Police Force; non-governmental and faith-based organisations; the ministries with portfolios for gender-based/domestic violence, including magistrate’s court officials who interface with victims and perpetrators of domestic violence.
The three-day capacity building initiative is an activity of the 10th European Development Fund (EDF) Crime and Violence Prevention and Social Development (CVPSD) Project, under the Caribbean Forum /European Union (CARIFORUM/EU) Crime and Security Programme.
The CVPSD project focuses on the delivery of three results. These are crime and violence in CARIFORUM States reduced (by addressing risk behaviours, opportunities, and institutional responses); incidences of intra-family and domestic violence reduced; and recidivism reduced and social inclusion and reintegration of offenders in CARIFORUM States promoted.
According to Project Manager, Louis Dodson, the objective of the workshop is “to build the capacity of first responders to hone their interviewing skills; offer counselling and establishing support networks for victims and perpetrators of domestic violence.
As such, expected results of this initiative include a CARIFORUM team of trainers, capable of providing training in interviewing, counselling and establishing support networks for victims and perpetrators of domestic violence.
The Project Manager explained that the Train the Trainer’s approach is aimed at ensuring sustainability way beyond the life of the CVPSD Project. To this end, it is envisaged that through the trainees, continuous training will take place thus enabling the Region to have a larger cadre of trained personnel, capable of effectively addressing the problem.
Gender-based violence affects both men and women, in the Caribbean, however, a body of evidence has shown women have been affected disproportionately and that violence against women in the Caribbean is pervasive.
Evidence have also shown that that violent crime has been increasing in the Caribbean and this is accompanied by a decrease in both case clear-up and conviction rates.
Despite the culture of silence, the negative effects of gender-based violence are felt by society every day. Gender-based violence disrupts families, affects women’s economic viability and puts women’s health and lives at risk. It has negative effects on children as children who experience domestic abuse or sexual abuse may have lifelong health and development effects, such as depression, low self-esteem and poor school performance.
