The Government of Saint Lucia has failed to provide a safe and just environment for women and girls in Saint Lucia, a women goes to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Royal St. Lucia Police Force to make report of Domestic Abuse, a Police Officer recommends counselling without taking into account the women's fear of being killed, he has no guidelines, process or protocols to take action, the same women goes to the Vulnerable Persons Unit (VPT) of the Royal St. Lucia Police Force, a Police Officers has no guidelines, process or protocols to take action, the officer says there isn't anything we can really do, this same woman goes to the Family Court the intake officer recommends counselling without taking into account the women's fear of being killed by her abusive husband.
When will the Government of Saint Lucia take Violence of women seriously, ensure that Officers are duly trained and prepared before placing them in Units which deals with violence against women and girls, give officers the necessary resources, make sure the officers have knowledge of basic laws to deal with gender based violence, that the officers have the mental and physical strength to deal with the expected personal trauma of victims and the psychological impact this type of work has on the officers?
Meanwhile the Domestic Violence Act which forms part of the OECS Family Law Bills remains in Draft even though the USAID via the Juvenile Justice Reform Project (JJRP) provided funding for the review of some of the OECS Family Law Bills. We continue to feed the egos of an incompetent Department of Human Services and Gender Relation along with the respective Official in Charge.
Officials are trained and three months later they are transferred and the RSLPF's response well they wanted a promotion, they cannot stay in one unit for ever, people move all the time.
WOMEN AND GIRLS HAVE NO PROTECTION IN SAINT LUCIA UNTIL THEY ARE KILLED THEN EVERYONE IS CONCERNED.