Police officers engaged in a special training session on gender-based violence on Friday.
‘Sensitivity’ was the theme for the training session held at the Police Headquarters, where Assistant Commissioner of Police for the Family Island District Ismella Davis-Delancey told The Bahama Journal that there is no discrimination and everyone is entitled to protection.
Gender-based violence is mainly understood as domestic violence; however, gender-based violence occurs in all relationships, including same sex relationships.
Davis-Delancey said, “The whole issue of the training is geared to incidences of violence, whether it’s same sex or whether it’s affecting the family. We will respond to all incidences, once the matter is reported to the police. We have a responsibility and obligation under the law to respond to it.”
The Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) partnered with the Pan American Development Foundation to house the session on gender-based violence. Officers throughout Nassau attended and assisted with the training.
The purpose of the training session is to provide timely services to victims of gender-based violence and the goal is to improve access to community services, the justice sector and develop strategies for violence prevention in The Bahamas with particular attention to the Family Islands.
ACP Davis-Delancey said, “We hope that at the end of this exercise, our officers are more sensitized. We have officers from the Central Detective Unit and those in the Family Islands, who would respond to incidences dealing with gender-based violence.”
Notwithstanding incidences of violence throughout the communities, but incidences of gender- based violence in schools also present a grave concern.
When schools open, ACP Davis-Delancey indicated that officers will be visible and should an incident occur, officers will respond to the incident, once it is reported.
“There is a protocol officers have to follow and after they’ve conducted their investigation, the incident will be forwarded to the Attorney General’s Office,” she said.
