By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Senior Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

ACTIVISTS say the curfew and restrictions on movement to prevent spread of the coronavirus increases women’s and children’s risk of domestic violence, with no government remedies in sight.

Alicia Wallace, a women’s rights advocate, said the government must introduce tools to help vulnerable people who now find themselves in toxic environments for longer than usual.

“There has always been a problem for women to report domestic abuse and actually get access to justice,” she said. “Now being in a position where you are trapped in the house with the person who is abusing you, you have less ability to seek refuge. Will the government introduce a domestic violence hotline for people to call? Will a specific unit to deal with this issue during this time be established? Has there been conversations with the Bahamas Crisis Centre to produce solutions? This is very serious.

“On (an average) day you have a very low chance of police responding to a domestic violence report and I say that as someone who has called before in the midst of a disturbance, so what happens now if the abuse happens after curfew hours, how do vulnerable people access shelters? We’ve heard nothing from the Department of Gender and Family Affairs on what will be done to ensure the safety of women and children.”

With few exceptions, most businesses have been ordered to close their offices and mandate employees work from home, except for essential employees where needed.

Schools are closed until next month and a national curfew from 9pm to 5am is in effect until March 31. There have also been mass layoffs as a result of the economic slowdown. Ms Wallace explained the cycle of domestic violence incidents and how closing most businesses and implementing a curfew disrupts the usual avenues of escape for victims.

“Under normal circumstances it’s quite difficult for anyone experiencing domestic violence to get out of those situations,” she said.

“You have to convince the police to show up and beyond that you have to find some sort of ally, the Crisis Centre, a religious leader or a friend who can talk you through what’s usually the steps to getting out. That’s not an immediate step, you don’t just pack up your bags and leave, you have to figure out where you are going to go, what you will need, whether you have the funds to get your proverbial ducks in a row.

“Timing it properly so you can safely get out is important. Under the curfew, it means there are particular hours that everyone has to get home at the same time. Perhaps a key time for a victim to leave usually might be when the guy goes to the bar, when you know he leaves at 8pm and gets back at midnight so you have a four hour window to get out of the house. For some people this is all about minimising the risks so that by the time he’s back the children are in bed and don’t have to hear what happens.”

The nature of the current crisis could exacerbate the tensions that lead to domestic violence incidents, all the more reason the government must announce clear solutions, Ms Wallace said.

“Let’s imagine the two people worked in Atlantis and now they’re home. There’s the financial stress, the marital complications, on top that you have a history of domestic violence in the home and there’s little you can do about it when you cannot leave your house,” Ms Wallace said.