By PAVEL BAILEY

DOMESTIC violence cases increased by 19 percent last year compared to 2020, Police Commissioner Paul Rolle revealed yesterday.

His comments came the same day Minister of Social Services Obie Wilchcombe said his ministry is putting a task force together to help investigate some 1,500 cases of violence against children.

Yesterday, Commissioner Rolle told reporters that his 2022 policing plan will place “renewed focus” on domestic violence and “dealing with persons at risk of harm”.

“So that’s always a concern, you know this issue with domestic violence but I’m trying to make a more positive impact by making facilities more available and more amenable and comfortable for persons to come in and get help,” he said, adding that it was “predominantly women” who are affected by this issue.

Yesterday Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis and other government ministers attended the National Gender Based Violence Law Review Forum and addressed a rise in domestic violence against women and children.

The three-day event, launched yesterday, is hosted by the Ministry of Social Services and Urban Development’s Department of Gender & Family Affairs. It is being held at Baha Mar’s convention centre.

Speaking at the event, Mr Davis said, “I think we can all agree that our laws regarding gender-based violence must be aligned with our values and international treaty obligations. As Bahamians we should speak with one voice when we repudiate discrimination against women and girls and denouncing gender-based violence and domestic abuse just as we should be advent advocates for gender equality and general family welfare.”

He said his government will take the recommendations made at the forum into account as it drafts new legislation to advance women’s rights and safety in the nation.

“Recommendations that emerge after this three-day forum will be very important to the formulation of new public policies. I thank both the standing Ministers and State Ministers of Social Services and Urban (Development) for this opportunity to review and debate these issues. My government supports the UN charters and conventions on human rights, gender equality and greater access for the disabled and will continue to legislate and advance public policies to achieve these objectives.”

Speaking to reporters, Mr Wilchcombe acknowledged the rise in gender-based violence in recent months, including the murder of Heavenly Terveus by her fiancé. The minister also expressed alarm at the rise in violence against children stating that his ministry is currently addressing an estimated 1,500 cases in this category.

“When you appreciate that we are now dealing with 1,500 cases of children’s violence and it’s troubling and over the years we have not given it the attention.”

He said his ministry is working closely with authorities to deal with this issue and elaborated on his plans to establish a task force to assist the police in addressing the reported 1,500 cases of child violence.

“What I am trying to do now is put in place a new force, a new team that deals with it directly that will assist the police, because with 1,500 cases we’ve been dealing with five case aids dealing with 1,500 cases, but here is the problem, the police are just overwhelmed. So, we are trying to find a way to assist the police in assisting the young people in assisting families.”

He said this task force would also help to relocate the victims of domestic violence and directly confront those who perpetuate these vicious acts.