Homeless mom with 3 children seeks help

Tuesday, February 24 2015

A homeless mother of three children — ages six years to two months — from Belmont, is currently seeking help from the Government services and members of the public.

The mother, Ophelia Savary, was evicted from her home on Wednesday last, because she could not pay the rent and had to be rescued by a resident of the area, June Thomas.

Thomas told Newsday she took Savary and her children into her home, and gave them a room after they were left exposed to the elements.

While Savary, who was present yesterday during the interview at Newsday’s Port-of-Spain office did not speak on her own behalf, Thomas said that Savary has no job, and no means to provide for the children.

Savary could not work after the birth of her baby, Thomas said because the baby spent two months in the neo-natal unit of the Port-of-Spain General Hospital.

Apart from providing shelter, Thomas said she has to provide Savary and her children with meals, and pampers and other supplies for the baby. Asked about the children’s father, Thomas said he was not around.

The first child, a boy, goes to school, but the four-year-old, a girl was still to be registered to start schooling.

Thomas claims that based on conversations with the children, Savary, whose education did not go beyond the primary level, and who was not mentally sound, was a victim of domestic violence. Appealing for help on Savary’s behalf, Thomas said that she made calls to several entities to assist, but the response has been lukewarm.

Yesterday she took Savary and her children to the Ministry of the People and Social Development on St Vincent Street, and Thomas said they were told to return on Wednesday.

Source: http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,207369.html

Domestic Violence a Big Problem

Minister: Thousands of cases in court...

By Kamille Bachan

Story Created: Jul 30, 2014 at 10:50 PM ECT

Story Updated: Jul 30, 2014 at 10:50 PM ECT 

 

GREETING: Information and Communications Management

Officer of the Ministry of Gender, Youth and Child Development

Sonya Beharry, right, greets Minister of State in the Ministry of

Gender, Youth and Child Development Senator Raziah Ahmed

at the launch of the National Consultation on Domestic Violence

Act of 1999, held at City Hall, Port of Spain, yesterday.

 —Photo: KITTY KOWLESSA

“Within the 2012 to 2013 period, a court in one magisterial district in North Trinidad handled 17,748 domestic violence cases. Keep in mind, ladies and gentlemen, this is only one court.”
This was stated yesterday by Minister of State in the Ministry of Gender, Youth and Child Development Senator Raziah Ahmed at the launch of the National Consultation on the Domestic Violence Act, 1999. It took place at City Hall, Port of Spain.
The Ministry of Gender, Youth and Child Development launched the series of public meetings to review the Domestic Violence Act, 1999. The aim of these meetings is to review the Act and ensure its effective implementation. This relates to the Government’s policy of achieving gender equity by eliminating domestic abuse, Ahmed said.
Ahmed stated that due to the constantly evolving nature of Trinidad and Tobago society, there was a need for “legislation that is relevant and current to our times” in order to resolve “an issue that affects the very fabric of our society.”
She referred to recent incidents of domestic violence such as the viral video of a local mother abusing her son with a garden tool. Ahmed stated that, while every parent has the right to discipline their child, this was abuse, not discipline.
Elaborating on the statistics, Ahmed also said that for the period 2012 to 2013, the Judiciary of Trinidad and Tobago reported that 11,382 new cases of domestic violence were filed. This figure, she said, reflected a 2.1 per cent decrease from the 2011-2012 period.
For the period 2012 to 2013, the National Domestic Violence Hotline handled 997 new client calls of which 767 were female and 230 were male. For the period January to June 2014, there were 65 calls; 46 females and 19 males.
The National Family Services Division dealt with 104 domestic violence cases for the period October 2013 to May 2014 inclusive of referrals from other agencies, call-ins and walk-ins, Ahmed said
Ahmed said that by creating safer homes, we can create a safer nation and she called on citizens to recognise the importance of eradicating domestic violence. She expressed the need to review this Act in order to achieve a stronger legislation that would lead to a safer society.
“Remember that this national consultation is not just about strengthening legislation, but ultimately about changing a national culture to benefit the vulnerable within society.” 

 

Source: http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Domestic-violence-a-big-problem-269313591.html

The question can make all the difference

By Leigh Hofheimer

Just imagine you are sitting in your doctor’s office waiting for the doctor and chatting with the medical assistant. Maybe it’s your yearly physical or maybe this is your first visit and you just want antibiotics for a relentless chest cold. All of a sudden she starts running through this list of questions:

• Have you ever been emotionally or physically abused by your partner or someone important to you?

• Within the last year, have you been hit, slapped, kicked or otherwise physically hurt by someone? If YES, who? Husband, Ex-Husband, Boyfriend, Stranger, Other? Total number of times?

• Since you’ve been pregnant, have you been slapped, kicked or otherwise physically hurt by someone? If YES, who? Husband, Ex-Husband, Boyfriend, Stranger, Other? Total number of times?

I would probably answer “no” to all of these questions even if I was experiencing abuse. It is so alienating to boil down the complexities of any relationship to these questions. And besides after I answer these questions, what happens? Where does this information go? Will you look at me differently? Judge me and my partner? Do you have any help to offer if I take a risk and tell you anything?

Current healthcare research shows that both finding the right way to ask and connecting a patient to resources is the two-step golden ticket for effective support.

Offering support starts with showing you have some idea about what living in a coercive and abusive relationship might feel like. Futures Without Violence offers a Safety Card with these questions:
Ask yourself: Are you in a healthy relationship?

• Is my partner willing to communicate openly when there are problems?
• Does my partner give me space to spend time with other people?
• Is my partner kind and supportive?

If you answered YES to these questions, it is likely that you are in a healthy relationship. Studies show that this kind of relationship leads to better physical and mental health, longer life, and better outcomes for your children.
Ask yourself: Are you in an unhealthy relationship?

• Does my partner shame me or humiliate me in front of others or in private?
• Does my partner control where I go, who I talk to, and how I spend money?
• Has my partner hurt or threatened me, or forced me to have sex?

If you answered YES to any of these questions, your health and safety may be in danger.

Their information also includes national hotline resources and where to get advocacy services.

I may still hesitate to answer these questions, but I know that the person in front of me is ready to have a deeper conversation and has some resources. Screening for, asking about, or listening for abuse in a relationship is not an end in itself. Providing support and connection is what survivors tell us they want.

If healthcare professionals really want to help, they have to take the time to learn the right questions and get comfortable connecting their patients to advocacy services. Consider helping by taking a stack of Safety Cards (they’re free) to your next doctor’s appointment.

Source: http://canyourelate.org/2014/06/03/the-question-can-make-all-the-difference/