Dragonfly Centre: September 2011

Mission

Non-Profit, 501(c)(3)

Mission: The Dragonfly Centre is committed to the elimination of domestic violence against women and their children by providing victim friendly services that promotes the empowerment of survivors; through advocacy, public awareness and education and community based initiatives.

Vision: The Dragonfly Centre envisions a world free of violence against women and their children and social justice for all. We are founded on the vision and belief that every person has the right to live in a safe environment free from violence and the fear of violence and strive to work collaboratively with the community to provide victim friendly services to support domestic violence victims, survivors to the stage of thriving.

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Friday, September 30, 2011

Victim support unit to be expanded in October

Published: Thursday, September 29, 2011

Camille Clarke

Margaret Sampson-Browne

Retired Assistant Police Commissioner Margaret Sampson-Browne, now in charge of the Victim and Witness Support Unit (VWSU) yesterday announced an expansion of the unit. The organisation has been in existence since 2008 with the transformation of the Police Service. Sampson-Browne was speaking at yesterday’s daily press conference at the Police Administration Building, Port-of-Spain. “We are spreading our wings so we will give a holistic support for victims to feel empowered to go to court and face the person you are accusing to be able to reduce crime significantly,” Sampson-Browne said. She added: “We have male officers in five stations so men can feel comfortable—we want them to be visible. From October 14, we will launch nine victim support groups.” “Anybody who is traumatised by...crime we will work with you.”
“Once you make a report...we will come and sit with you for statements, identification parades or network agencies. We are doing this to bridge between the police and communities,” Sampson-Browne said. “It is a crime fighting initiative. If crime occurs, we kick in, we come in,” she said.

Sampson-Browne said there were three officers in San Fernando, two in Chaguanas, two in Carenage, two in Morvant and two in Arouca. Sampson-Browne said 20 professional civilians had been working at the model stations across the country. “These were placed at the model stations in San Fernando, Arouca, Morvant, Chaguanas and Carenage. This was broken down to domestic violence and sexual offences,” she said. Sampson-Browne said the central family who were robbed and sexually assaulted had been receiving support from the unit. She said 20 civilian officers were on call 24 hours a day and from 6 am to 6 pm. They would be assigned to the Sangre Grande, Fyzabad Police Stations, Anti-Kidnapping Unit and Homicide Bureau. Sampson-Browne said over 300 victims of crime received support from the unit during the past three years.

Source: http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2011/09/28/victim-support-unit-be-expanded-october

A Little Background…..

In 2007 I was introduced to the twin island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. It is a beautiful tropical country located in the southern most part of the Caribbean archipelago. However, the opportunity to travel to this part of the world would not present itself until March of 2009. It was an incredible experience to be able to visit a country where I had never been before and I literally knew no-one. I had the privilege to experience a new culture and meet many wonderful people who made my trip an amazing experience. Although the purpose of my visit was recreational, something happened that changed all of that. One evening while on a hike with my tour guide and one of the locals at The ASA Wright Nature Centre, one of the men asked me where I was from and what I did for a living. It was at that moment that I disclosed that I was a Domestic Violence Advocate. He paused, looked at me and replied,… “we need you here”. At that moment I did not fully understand what he meant or how I could help.

A few days after this I visited one of the local court houses to learn about how someone could obtain a protection order. What I discovered disturbed me greatly, to say the least. The process by which abused individuals could obtain legal protections left much to be desired. This sparked grave concern for victims coupled with a desire to learn more about the local system and services. After I finished my travels all I could think about was the need of the people in Trinidad and Tobago. It was shortly after my return to the United States that the Dragonfly Centre for Women’s Empowerment and Transformation began to take form. While completing my Bachelors degree at Evergreen College, I developed an Individual Learning Contract entitled “Domestic Violence in Trinidad and Tobago” and was awarded The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship. This allowed me to return to Trinidad and Tobago for my final quarter at the end of December of 2009 for my nine week study. My focus was on services addressing domestic violence. What I came away with was the echoing cries for help by the people who freely shared their personal views and stories. Although I wasn’t quite sure what, I knew I had to do something. As a consequence, it was these cries that gave birth to and helped shape the Dragonfly Centre to be what it is, a multifaceted institution with a focus on public education, shaping public policy and providing direct victim friendly services to support families dealing with domestic violence.