Police coursed in ‘DomVi’

Some 2000 coastal and hinterland Guyana Police Force (GPF) officers underwent to help
improve law officials’ response to escalating cases of domestic violence in the country. The
training was held at the Police Officers Training Centre in Kingston, Georgetown.

The programme which is the brainchild of Human Services and Social Security Minister, Dr
Vindya Persaud, was executed in partnership with the Home Affairs Ministry, under which the
police force falls.

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is also playing an integral role in the training
badly needed nationally because local statistics show violence among lovers is rising nationwide.

Minister Persaud wants all 2,000 officers to complete their training before the end of this year.
Dr Persaud wants conscious efforts made for each reported case to be treated with the level of
seriousness and urgency always required.

Domestic violence strains family relations and the toll includes instability, disruptions,
psychological and physical scars, and tragically, sometimes death.

Dr. Persaud said each case of domvi (domestic violence) reported to any police station in the
country will be handled according to international best practices.
“We must not be happy with any level of mediocrity; we must not accept any level of doing
lesser than we should,” the minister counselled.
Officers who completed the in-person and online training course will receive a badge of
identification to complainants. They will also be answerable for each case they have
investigated.

The course was run for eight days for junior ranks and five days for their seniors.

Issues examined will include interrogation, assessment of safety, how to counsel and respond to
complainants, and writing case reports.
Facilitators were drawn from the Human Services Ministry and they will also train police force
officials who will manage future courses.
This, minister Persaud said, will ensure continuity of the initiative.

Home Affairs Minister, Robeson Benn said ‘domvi’ is a troubling and shocking in Guyana
“We have to do better as men and take our responsibilities seriously. In many ways we’re too
open, too permissive in the way we deal with these issues,” Minister Benn said.

He was also unhappy with “the music we play (and) our behaviour as adults.”
Benn urged the police to be proactive and vigilant about domvi and not simply “send the victim
back home” after they file complaints.
Benn blamed failures at the level of policing, the wider society and especially among Guyanese
for spike in domvi.

Commissioner of Police Nigel Hoppie pointed to the recently launched domvi 914 hotline as
proof that the crime is under the force’s microscope.

Home Affairs Ministry Permanent Secretary (PS) Shannielle Hoosein-Outar challenged trainees
to recognise the impact they can have on saving victim’s lives.
Meanwhile, Director of Social Services, Whentworth Tanner pitched the training as part of a
broader national response against all forms of violence against women and girls.

“Perpetrators must be held accountable and victims must be protected. A crime that goes
unpunished only serves to embolden perpetrators and leads to more criminal acts,” Tanner
warned.