Black Immigrant Daily News
In an effort to bolster the framework to reduce or eliminate incidents of domestic violence in various communities, the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) has embarked upon a series of workshops and clinics, geared towards educating the residents in various communities about domestic violence.
The JCF in a release said the organisation has implemented several intervention strategies to detect, prevent and treat matters related to domestic violence through educational sessions island-wide.
The release went further to define and look at different areas of domestic violence.
Domestic violence is any consistent behaviour to gain power and control over a spouse, partner,girl/boyfriend or intimate family member. Essentially, it is a willful act of abuse by the perpetrator to exercise power and control over a victim.
Can you identify the different types of abuse?
Psychological/mental/emotional abuse: Abuse which deliberately destroys your self-confidence, making you feel useless, stupid or crazy. It can be described as a type of brainwashing where you believe that everything that goes wrong is your fault.
Verbal abuse: Constantly putting you down, calling you names, making you feelworthless, or making comments about your competence. This can also include threats of physical abuse.
Financial abuse: When you are not allowed to have a say in financial decisions, being refused money for family needs, or being made to get into debt for the other person.
Sexual abuse: Being forced to have unwanted sexual contact or being drugged to haveunwanted sexual contact.
Physical abuse: Physical assault can take many forms from pushing, poking, biting, burning,slapping, hair pulling, strangulation, using a weapon, smashing things or hurting children or pets.
Operating Principles for the Domestic Violence Intervention CentersDeputy Superintendent Jacqueline Dillion heads the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s DomesticViolence Intervention Care Unit, including its network of Domestic Violence Intervention Centres(DVICs) islandwide.
She leads the response team which is positioned within the JCF’s CommunitySafety and Security Branch (CSSB), which operates a network of 10 DVICs at police stations.The centres were established with the support of the United States Embassy and the United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP) Multi Country Office in Jamaica under the European Union-financed Spotlight Initiative. This was combined with a survivor-centred training series delivered by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
Each DVIC is run by a trained police officer offering intervention through counselling, referrals, law enforcement intervention, protection, follow up, home visits and other services based on need and strongly supported by trained counsellors and related professionals within the psychotherapy field.
The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) guided by the expertise of a highly trained police team brand this compassionate, accessible service ‘DVICare’ – one that includes the physical centres and a broad range of services to those in need.
The DVI centres operate under the principles of Intervention, Counselling, Awareness, Responseand Empathy-ICARE.
Reports of Domestic Violence often include incidents of threats, assaults,wounding, malicious destruction of property as well as verbal, psychological and other abuses.
These are dealt with and resolved through Domestic Violence Intervention augmented with regularpolicing services as needed.
How can the Police Help?
When a case of domestic violence is reported, the Police will take a statement from the complainant. All information collected will be treated with confidentiality. All reports of domestic violence/abuse are recorded, and a receipt given to the person making the complaint. If the report is one of physical assault, whether the injury is noticeable or not, a statement is collected and a letter to seek medical attention given to the person making the report.
If the complainant indicates that he/she does not want to proceed through the Courts,this is also recorded in the statement and signed to by the complainant. The complainant can befurther advised to seek the advice of the Courts for a Protection Order or otherwise ifnecessary.
If the matter is to proceed through the Courts, it is to be investigated and appropriately dealtwith, by the investigator following proper case management procedures.
The Jamaica Constabulary Force Domestic Violence Intervention Centres provide assistance toanyone who is being abused in anyway by their partner. Persons who need help are encouraged to call or visit the DVI Centre or Police Station closest to them, for intervention and remember- No one gets turned away.
NewsAmericasNow.com
