‘One stop shops’ for victims of violence, abuse
Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, S.C
Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, S.C

— separate rooms in courts for domestic violence victims already being established

ATTORNEY-GENERAL and Legal Affairs Minister, Anil Nandlall, S.C., has announced that his ministry has partnered with other ministries to formulate and establish what is being described as a “one stop shop” to assist victims of violence and abuse.

Nandlall disclosed that the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security; the Ministry of Health; the Minister of Home Affairs and his ministry are working collaboratively to establish the unit which will house various services to render assistance to victims of domestic violence, sexual violence and child abuse.

“This ‘one stop shop’ will have medical personnel, including a doctor; it will have a social service officer, like a therapist or a councillor; it will have members of the Police Force and it will have legal personnel,” Nandlall explained.

He highlighted that when victims visit the ‘one stop shop’, all of their concerns will be addressed, and all of the services that are necessary will be provided, all under one roof, all in an effort to provide convenience and ease of access.

“When a victim goes there, the victim doesn’t have to run to the police station and then go to the hospital to get medical, all the services can be provided at this ‘one stop shop’ and we are trying to do it in every single region. In the most populous regions we will have to do more than one,” Nandlall said.

The Attorney-General explained that, currently, the initiative is in a formative stage. A pilot project will be implemented to address any shortcomings which may arise and then the project will be replicated countrywide to ensure that every person has access to the facility.

“We are doing all these things to address the serious issue of violence in our country; the serious issues of domestic violence and child abuse; these are serious social issues that are affecting our country,” he said.

DISTINCT ROOMS

Nandlall also announced that the government was in the process of establishing distinct rooms within most, if not all, of the Magistrates’ Court buildings in Guyana to accommodate the hearings of matters pertaining to domestic violence applications.

“When a domestic violence application is being heard, the Magistrate sometimes is forced to hear them in their chambers, in camera, or to clear the courtroom to hear them. Why? Because domestic violence matters are quite personal,” Nandlall said.

“Domestic violence applications involve very, very, personal information and it is very emotional and very draining for a person, in particular a woman, to stand in a crowded courtroom or to stand and face the aggressor or the person who has violated her while giving evidence,” Nandlall said.

The Attorney-General explained that in most domestic violence matters, the victim is brought face-to-face with the abuser, which may pervert the course of justice as often the victim is intimidated and would not be able to express themselves freely.

“Sometimes that is a serious intimidation and as a result the victim is not in a position to speak freely and voluntarily because they are in fear of more violence being inflicted after the court hearing,” he said.

Against this backdrop, the Government of Guyana, the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and the Judiciary of Guyana have partnered to see the allocation of specific spaces and construction of separate rooms where domestic violence applications will be heard.

Nandlall pointed out that the first initiative of its kind was executed at the Wales Magistrate’s Court and the Vreed-en-Hoop Magistrate’s Court on Monday last. This will be replicated in other parts of the country, he said.

He opined that the move to have domestic violence applications dealt with privately is a “positive move” and hopes that it will bring greater comfort to victims of domestic violence during litigation. Nandlall is also of the view that it will encourage more victims to bring matters pertaining to domestic violence to the courts.

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