$86 million allocated for new domestic violence shelters

International Women’s Day (IWD) 2019 is being celebrated this Friday, March 8, under the theme #BalanceforBetter.

While we recognise the day, the focus is on building a gender-balanced world, and realising that everyone has a part to play in this — from grassroots activism to worldwide action.

This week, as All Woman recognises the theme, we highlight the absence of balance, and celebrate its presence.

MINISTER of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Olivia Grange has announced that $86 million has been put aside to set up two new shelters to house victims of domestic and intimate partner violence.

“For the 2019/2020 fiscal year, [this money] has been allocated for the purchase of two additional shelters in the eastern and western regions of Jamaica for women affected by domestic violence,” Grange told All Woman last Thursday.

The plans to establish two new shelters were first announced by Governor General Sir Patrick Allen during his throne speech at Gordon House last month, and he said spaces for the facilities have already been identified and inspection reports have been completed.

He also divulged that one of the shelters will be located in the urban area and the other will be situated in rural Jamaica.

These two additional shelters will bring the number of state-run domestic violence shelters to three.

The first shelter, which was announced last year, is in the final stages of preparation, and is projected to be in operation by the end of the month, the ministry said.

The findings of the Women’s Health Survey for Jamaica, which was published last year, showed that one in every four Jamaican women (25.2 per cent) has experienced physical violence by a male partner.