GUEST COMMENTARY: BY ANN MARIE DAVIS
(EDITOR’S NOTE: We absolutely had to share this powerful statement from the Office of the Spouse of the Prime Minister as a Guest Commentary.)
NASSAU, Bahamas, April 19, 2023 — The Office of the Spouse of the Prime Minister expresses outrage at the recent escalation in gender-based violence against our women and girls.
The fate of a young mother and her teenage daughter coupled with news reports this evening of the bullet-riddled body of another woman pulled from a canal in southern New Providence speak to a sharp deterioration in relations between our men and women that threatens the country’s social stability.
The Office of the Spouse expresses heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims of these unspeakable acts of violence.
The evidence available to us strongly suggests that as a society, we are unable to sufficiently and satisfactorily resolve conflicts; too many instances of gender-based violence and domestic abuse go unreported; in many cases, men are failing miserably in their role to protect our women and girls; and generally, we are not being our neighbours’ keepers.
As a society, we must change course if we hope to build a strong, stable, safe and secure society to pass on to future generations.
How could we resonably expect to build a secure and prosperous future if we are unable to get along with each other and resolve interpersonal conflicts?
More must be done systemically to empower our women girls and to promote economic independence. While the Office of the Spouse applauds the great work of Zonta Club, the Crisis Center, F.O.A.M., the Department of Gender Affairs and others to achieve this, we call for stronger social partnerships between our government and these NGO’s in the form of greater financial support and resource allocations to these institutions.
Further, the public education initiative on conflict resolution and the need to report and address any sign of gender-based violence and domestic abuse must be sustained and be relentless.
The Office of the Spouse of the Prime Minister remains committed to doing its part in raising public awareness and sensitivity to this social scourge while advocating for stronger and more aggressive social policies to crush and ultimately destroy this vexing social ill that is gnawing at the very base of our social fabric.
