The face of domestic violence appears uglier than expected as the most recent statistics have revealed that a reported 1,200 women are abused annually.

In an interview with the Bahama Journal yesterday, Director of the Crisis Centre Dr. Sandra Dean Patterson acknowledged that while this number may be far lower than what it actually is, it is still far too high in a country of so little people.

“The police statistics tell us that there are around 1,200 reports to them every year,” but I feel that’s a strong underestimation,” she said.

“What the hospital tell us, what we see and I know the reports the police receive add up to a lot more than that. It is something that we have to be very concerned about. People wonder why there are so many problems with children misbehaving now, but they only learn what they live.”

Dr. Dean-Patterson, a noted psychiatrist, went on to describe domestic violence as an ‘epidemic’ that has been in The Bahamas for a number of years.

A part from the many women who are victims, statistics show that hundreds of children fall in the same category each year.

“We have far too many children being abused in this country,” she said.

“Looking at the social service statistics where we have between 500 and 600 children suffering from abuse that are reported, you can see that we have a big problem. But internationally, we know that you can multiply that number from three to ten and get the real figure.”

Social Services Minister Melanie Griffin agrees that domestic violence against women and children has been out of control for far too long and that it must be addressed as soon as possible.

“From generation to generation we’ve seen this and now we have women being killed as a result. I mean, there must be a way to stop it from occurring in our little country. That’s why we here are so driven and so focused on putting an end to it that we are going leaps and bounds,” the minister said.

On Saturday, November 23, the Ministry of Social Services along with Zonta Bahamas, the Crisis Centre and Urban Renewal will host a Fun Run/Walk under the theme “No Means No,” in protest against domestic violence against women.

The event will kick off at 6:00a.m.

It is just one of many activities planned for Domestic Violence month.
The groups are encouraging anyone that may have been a victim of domestic violence to contact the Crisis Centre at 322-4999 or www.bahamascrisiscentre.org.