Healthy vs Abusive Relationships

Teen Dating and Domestic Violence

Spurned love ends in murder of teenager

Published: 

Friday, April 27, 2012

Nikita Ramischand

The 18-year-old daughter of Port-of-Spain lawyer, Odai Ramischand, was stabbed to death Wednesday night.

Police said Nikita Ramischand was stabbed six times in the neck and abdomen. Her body was found by her parents and siblings at the family’s home, Maracas Royal Road, St Joseph, around 8.30 pm. Nikita was an accounts student at the School of Business and Computer Science (SBCS), Champs Fleurs. She also assisted her mother in the family’s beauty salon.  Homicide detectives believe she was stabbed by a jilted lover. Up to late yesterday police were looking for a suspect, also 18.

 

 

Senior officers believed the suspect might attempt to leave the country as he had a ticket booked to Guyana. They also said her relationship with the suspect had been kept a secret. Her brother, Sid, who spoke in an interview at the Forensic Science Centre, St James, yesterday described his sister as a girl who had “a promising future and was brilliant.” He said she met someone who took her life because she spurned his love and an offer of marriage. Inspector Ramnaresh Seecharan, acting Insp Lawrence, Sgt Samuel, Cpl Jones and Modeste and PC Seville were among the officers who went to the scene.

(With reporting by Camille Clarke)

 

Source:  http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2012-04-26/spurned-love-ends-murder-teenager

Beautiful People

“The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.”
― Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

Sexual Assault Reporting on the Rise

Police statistics show...

Sex crimes up by 100 per cent

Published: Saturday, April 14, 2012

Derek Achong

 

Mervyn Richardson

Police reports of rape, incest and other sexual offences have gone up by 100 per cent in 2012. Deputy Police Commissioner (DCP) Mervyn Richardson, in a telephone interview last night, attributed the increase in reports to a rise in confidence in the Police Service.

He said that from as early as Monday, several new initiatives would be launched by the Police Service to combat crime. “We (the executive of the Police Service) have had some challenges in the past few weeks, but we have put measures in place,” Richardson said. He added that these new measures would be both proactive and reactive.

“As part of the plan, there will be increased police presence throughout T&T,” Richardson said. He said the police had been working tirelessly to stem the murder rate. Richardson said he met with officers of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) yesterday to discuss the new anti-crime plan.

The IATF is mandated to patrol the streets of east Port-of-Spain and Laventille—the district which has recorded the most murders in the country in the past ten years. Official statistics on the T&T Police Service (TTPS) Crime Statistic database show the police received 256 reports of sexual offences for the first three months of the year.

This figure represents a substantial rise compared to last year, which saw 123 reports for the first three months of the year. Of the 256 reported incidents, the statistic states that 166 have been solved by detectives, a percentage of almost 65 per cent.

In a telephone interview yesterday, head of the Police Service Victim and Witness Support Unit (VWSU) Margaret Sampson-Browne could not confirm the increase recorded in the statistics. However, she agreed with Richardson that the increase may be due to a rise in public confidence in the police.

“We are doing marvellous work in the communities,” she said. “We are building more trust these communities. People feel more comfortable  with the police. This encourages witnesses and victims of crime to come forward.” Sampson-Browne, a retired assistant police commissioner noted that support groups which are run by her unit to assist victims of crimes have increased in size in the past few months.

In the most recent high-profile case of sexual abuse this year, a 50-year-old PH taxi driver appeared in court accused of 11 counts of sexual assault. Abdul Samad, also known as Roger Danglade and Abu, of Springvale, Claxton Bay, appeared in the Chaguanas Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday for allegedly buggering a 16-year-old boy and committing grievous sexual assault on the teen last year.

Samad will reappear in court on May 9. Despite an increase in reports of sexual offences, the murder toll for the first three months of this year was 91 as compared to 104 last year—a 13-per-cent decrease. However, of the 91 murders that were recorded, the police statistics showed that only nine were solved. Four murders were detected in January, two in February and five in the month of March.

Of the 343 murders recorded last year,  56 were solved. Yesterday, the murder toll stood at 107, after a long Easter weekend which saw 12 people being murdered, among them three residents of La Horquetta, Arima, who were shot dead in less than 24 hours on Easter Monday.

Senior homicide detectives said several suspects have been detained this week in connection with the spate of murders. Up to late yesterday, the Director of Public Prosecutions had not been contacted to determine whether criminal charges should be laid against the suspects who were in custody.Homicide detectives are said to be still gathering evidence on the murders and cross-referencing  information received from various informants, a senior officer said.

The statistics also show a marked decrease in burglaries, with 640 reported incidents for the first quarter this year as compared to 1,119 last year.

Source: http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2012-04-14/sex-crimes-100-cent

 

Victims Family Speaks Out - Pleading Victims to Report Violence

 

Relative of slain Valencia man: He was a victim of physical abuse

Published:  Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Camille Clarke

 

“Don’t be ashamed or shy. Go and make a report against whatever abuse you are going through.” This advice was given yesterday by Lisa Williams, whose brother Dwayne Hill was stabbed to death by a close female relative at Alexis Circular, Valencia Plantation, Valencia.

Nicole Rodriquez, left, and Lisa Williams, sisters of murder 

victim Dwayne Hill, at the Forensic Science Centre, St James, yesterday.  

PHOTO: MARCUS GONZALES

Up to late yesterday, an 18-year-old woman remained in police custody in connection with the incident. Hill, 31, a watchman, was at his home on Good Friday when he had a heated argument with a woman. She allegedly snatched a breadknife and stabbed him eight times in the chest. He was taken to the Sangre Grande Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

In an interview at the Forensic Science Centre, St James, yesterday, Williams said her brother had suffered both physical and emotional abuse at the hands of a woman for the past few years. Williams said the woman also broke his right arm. “The same day he was stabbed, he was threatened by the woman,” she said.

“She always used to beat him up and abuse him. His right arm was broken by the woman. She used to run him down. “He told me he didn’t know what going on with her. He told me in front of her if somebody kill him, it would be her. He decided to settle down with her and that was the last time I saw him alive.”

Williams said Hill did not want to go to the police because he feared he would be ridiculed for being abused by a woman. “However, I need to say the Valencia police did a good job,” she said. “She was running away and they held her.” Williams said the woman was apprehended by relatives and handed over to the police.

“It is a tough situation we are going through now,” she said, describing Hill as “a pleasant, quiet person who used to make us smile.”

Source:  http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2012-04-10/relative-slain-valencia-man-he-was-victim-physical-abuse

 

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE FACTS

Signs of Domestic Violence

Domestic violence is not always easy to recognize, but the signs are usually there. Abuse can be in many forms, from emotional to physical to sexual. The following are some of the signs that the person you are with may be abusive:

• The person repeatedly lies to you and breaks promises.
• The person withholds affection in order to get power over you.
• The person shows extreme jealousy and tries to keep you from family, friends, or interests.
• The person insults or puts you down.
• The person violates your privacy, going through your possessions without permission.
• The person threatens you.
• The person tries to control you, telling you how to dress, where to go, what to eat, what to do, etc.
• The person attempts to cause you pain or injury.
• The person punches, kicks, shakes, slaps, or restrains you.
• The person attacks you with a weapon or thrown objects.
• The person causes pain or injures you.
• The person forces their attention on you, either verbally or physically.
• The person rapes you.
• The person injures or threatens to injure the family pet.
• The person threatens to injure your children.
• The person injures your children.

The Cycle of Violence

Domestic violence is not just a one-time incident, but a pattern of behaviors over time. Most abusive relationships follow a cycle of violence, which has three stages: tension building, explosive incident, and honeymoon stage. The lengths of each stage can vary from seconds to years.

During the Tension Building phase, the warning signs of abuse begin to appear. They may repeat, they may change each time, but they are there.

• There are more arguments between the abuser and the victim.
• The abuser yells at the victim for no apparent reason.
• The abuser accuses the victim of acts they did not do, such as sleeping around, flirting with other people, cheating.
• The victim feels as if they cannot do anything right, and are afraid to do anything to make the situation worse.

During the Explosive Incident phase, the abuse occurs. It may be mental, physical, or sexual, but it is always an intense outburst.

• The abuser threatens the victim with physical violence.
• The abuser hits, grabs, shoves, kicks, or otherwise physically attacks the victim.
• The abuser screams and yells violently.
• The abuser throws objects across the room.
• The abuser injures a family pet.
• The abuser rapes or sexually assaults the victim.

During the Honeymoon Stage phase, the abuser tries to justify or minimize the abuse. They may treat the victim with extreme kindness as they try to "make up" for the attack, and try to keep the victim from fleeing. The abuser may also try to make the victim feel responsible for the abuse, so they will not blame the abuser or press charges.

• The abuser apologizes and promises that it will never happen again.
• The abuser tells the victim they love them.
• The abuser buys the victim gifts, such as flowers or jewelry, to "make up" for the abuse.
• The abuser makes excuses for the abuse, often blaming the victim for the abuse ("you made me do it", "it was only a little slap, it's not like I really hurt you", "you know that always makes me angry", "you know how stressed I've been lately because of work", and many others).

As a cycle, the phases repeat themselves: after the honeymoon stage, the tension eventually starts building again, which leads to another explosive incident. Over time, the tension building phase takes less time to lead to the explosion, which becomes more violent and dangerous, and the honeymoon stage becomes shorter and shorter.

NATIONAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE

Trinidad and Tobago

800-SAVE (7283)

United States

1-800-799-SAFE (7233)

Help is Available  - Toll Free 24/7

 

 

Valencia man stabbed to death by woman

Valencia man stabbed to death by woman

Published: 

Saturday, April 7, 2012

Derek Achong

The brief but turbulent relationship of a Valencia couple ended tragically yesterday when a 32-year-old man was stabbed to death by an 18-year-old woman. This incident takes the the nation’s homicide toll for the year to 95, compared to 104 for the same period last year.

Dwayne Hill got into an argument with a woman at his Alexis Drive, Valencia, home at around 10.30 am. The argument went on for an hour then escalated into violence. The woman told police Hill emptied a bottle of gasoline into her mouth. He was about to ignite the fuel when the woman grabbed a kitchen knife and stabbed him in the face, head and chest.

Neighbours who heard the commotion called the police and Hill and the woman were taken to hospital. Shortly after noon, Hill succumbed to his injuries at the Sangre Grande District Hospital. The woman is warded in a stable condition. Although Hill’s death has been initially classified as a murder, investigators were up to late yesterday piecing together details of the incident to determine whether the woman acted in self defence.

Investigators are expected to get advice from the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) on whether charges should be charged. Sgt Raymond Austin, Cpl Junior Bernard and WPC Ayana Johnson are continuing investigations.

Source: http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2012-04-07/valencia-man-stabbed-death-woman

Bail denied again for man who set wife on fire.

Bail denied again for man who set wife on fire

By LAUREL V WILLIAMS Thursday, April 5 2012

FOR the second time, bail was refused yesterday for a husband charged with the attempted murder of his common-law wife whom he allegedly doused with a flammable substance then set her on fire, last month.

Harrypersad Singh, 30, yesterday re-appeared in the San Fernando Magistrates’ First Court before acting Deputy Chief Magistrate Rajendra Rambachan on the charge. His attorney, Ainsley Lucky, renewed an application for bail to be granted to Singh.

Singh, a father of one from Dumfries Road in Hermitage Village, San Fernando is alleged to have committed the act on Andrea Badree on March 3. The charge stemmed from an incident at their home in which Badree was doused with a flammable substance and then set ablaze. Cpl Ramlogan of the San Fernando Police Station, laid the charge.

The magistrate after enquiring about the status of Badree yesterday told the attorney she was listed in a critical condition at the San Fernando General Hospital (SFGH). Apart from the word-by-mouth update of the victim’s condition, Lucky requested a report in writing from the prosecution. The attorney added, based on his own investigation, he heard “uplifting” news of Badree’s condition. The magistrate denied bail to the accused and remanded him into police custody. Rambachan also informed Singh of his rights to apply to a Judge in Chambers for bail.

Rambachan postponed the matter to April 23 when the court is expected to get an updated medical report on Badree .

Source:  http://www.newsday.co.tt/crime_and_court/0,158024.html

Woman chopped by angry boyfriend

Woman chopped by angry boyfriend

By ALEXANDER BRUZUAL Sunday, April 1 2012

Northern Division officers are investigating a report of domestic abuse in which a 24-year-old woman was chopped about her body by her 25-year-old boyfriend.

While full details remained unclear up to late yesterday, it was reported at about 4 am yesterday, the young woman was standing outside her Hermit Avenue, Maloney home when she got into a confrontation with her boyfriend. During the confrontation, she was chopped several times about her body by the 25-year-old man. An alarm was raised and the assailant escaped on foot.

The young woman was rushed to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex in Mt Hope, where she was warded and is being treated for her injuries.

The assailant is also reportedly warded at the hospital, as shortly after arriving at his own home, he consumed a bottle of detergent.

Investigations are continuing.

In an unrelated incident, four persons were arrested for drunk driving and an estimated 87 traffic tickets were issued to motorists following a police exercise in the Northern Division on Friday night.

The exercise which was conducted throughout various areas, including St Joseph, St Augustine, Tunapuna and Arouca, was spearheaded by ACP Terry Young and included members of the Northern Division Task Force, Northern Division CID and the warrant unit.

The detained men are all expected to be taken before a Tunapuna magistrate tomorrow.

The exercise was part of the Northern Division’s ongoing “zero tolerance” approach to crime in the area.

Source: http://www.newsday.co.tt/crime_and_court/0,157825.html