Dragonfly Centre: Some Countries Spend More On Domestic Violence Costs Than On Primary Education: Report

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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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Sunday, May 18, 2014

Some Countries Spend More On Domestic Violence Costs Than On Primary Education: Report

The Huffington Post | by Rebecca Klein

Posted: 05/16/2014 4:13 pm EDT Updated: 05/16/2014 4:59 pm EDT

A report out this week from the World Bank Group examined some of the challenges facing women around the world and uncovered some unequivocally devastating finds. As shown in the map below, a significant share of women, especially in Africa and South Asia, have experienced physical or sexual violence from an intimate partner during their lifetime.

But, as the report explains, high rates of intimate partner violence (abbreviated IPV in the report) -- defined as “all acts of physical, sexual, psychological or economic violence that occur within the family or domestic unit or between former or current spouses” -- not only have an impact on individuals and families, but also affect countries’ economies.
Estimates of the costs of violence against women are so high that a lower percentage of some countries' Gross Domestic Product is spent on primary education than on domestic violence costs. According to the report, the costs of intimate partner violence are driven up by factors like lost income and productivity, health care and police services.
The graph below shows the cost of intimate partner violence in a few countries, although the report notes that estimates across countries are not directly comparable, due to the varying measures used to account for these costs.

But, if there’s any silver lining in the report, it’s that education can be a powerful tool. While the report shows that not nearly enough women receive a proper education in many parts of the world, when they do, it generally has positively impacted their lives. The graphs below show two examples.

The report is especially timely amid the search for over 250 kidnapped Nigerian schoolgirls, who were abducted in April by an Islamist militant group.
“The tragedy which is unfolding in Nigeria I think underlines the urgency of the agenda,” World Bank Group Gender and Development Director Jeni Klugman told NPR of the report. “The issues we’re dealing with in this report are about the denial of choice -- girls who are unable to go to school, girls who are unable to make choices about whether and how many children to have. … I think bringing together the evidence from around the world about the gravity of these challenges and also what can be done I think makes it very timely as well as new.”

Source:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/16/world-bank-group-women-report_n_5338940.html

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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.