Office of Gender Affairs Launches Programme to Combat Domestic Violence in the Virgin Islands

The Office of Gender Affairs in the Virgin Islands has commenced the 20th cycle of its flagship initiative, the Partnership for Peace (PfP): A Violence Intervention Programme.

Over the past fourteen years, this programme has been instrumental in maintaining a zero-tolerance policy towards domestic violence in the region. Under the leadership of Director of Gender Affairs, Ms. Patricia Hackett, more than one hundred and fifty men have already benefited from the programme.

The Partnership for Peace programme is designed to provide a psycho-educational framework that encourages and supports men in achieving a violence-free lifestyle. It follows a 16-session curriculum called Partnership for Peace, based on the UNIFEM Manual from 2009. Referrals to the programme are court-based, with all participants being referred from the Magistrates’ Court.

The primary objective of the 20th cycle is to eliminate violence from the lives of participants. It aims to help them understand that violence is a choice and to take responsibility for their behavior. The programme also focuses on teaching new behaviors that are free of violence and equipping participants with skills for addressing conflicts and responding to stress in a non-violent manner.

The Partnership for Peace programme is a result of a partnership between the Office of Gender Affairs and the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), now known as the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UNWOMEN). UNWOMEN has provided technical and financial support for the development of the programme.

The Programme Director for the violence intervention programme is the Gender Affairs Coordinator, supported by trained facilitators from UNWOMEN, Clinical Supervisors, and a Programme Coordinator. Each session of the programme runs for two hours and is delivered by both a male and a female facilitator. The Clinical Supervisor closely observes the classes throughout the cycle to ensure its effectiveness.

Ms. Hackett emphasized that the Office of Gender Affairs is committed to creating a Virgin Islands where gender equality and equity are at the forefront of everyone’s minds. The Ministry of Health and Social Development shares this commitment, striving for a violence-free life for all residents and visitors. The aim is to improve conversations and actions surrounding gender equality and equity.

The success of the Partnership for Peace programme has led to its implementation in other Caribbean countries, including Grenada, Jamaica, St. Lucia, and Trinidad and Tobago. The Office of Gender Affairs continues to promote and conduct programmes that foster healthy and non-violent intimate partner relationships between men and women in the Virgin Islands.