Saint Lucia: Protection and recourse available to women who are victims of violence other than domestic abuse (2004 - September 2006)
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa |
| Publication Date | 13 October 2006 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | LCA101665.FE |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Saint Lucia: Protection and recourse available to women who are victims of violence other than domestic abuse (2004 - September 2006), 13 October 2006, LCA101665.FE, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/46fb730023.html [accessed 31 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Information on the protection and recourse available to women who are victims of violence other than domestic abuse was scarce among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.
In correspondence sent to the Research Directorate on 15 August 2006, a gender relations officer from the Ministry of Health, Human Services, Family Affairs and Gender Relations of Saint Lucia indicated the following. No specific recourse or protection other than that provided for in the Criminal Code of Saint Lucia is available to women abused by someone other than their partner. Protection under the Criminal Code is "generally provided by the police."
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2005 from the United States (US) Department of State indicates that the Ministry of Health, Human Services, Family Affairs and Gender Relations in Saint Lucia is responsible for women's affairs (US 8 Mar. 2006, Sec. 5). The ministry is charged with "protecting women's rights in domestic violence cases and preventing discrimination against women" (ibid.).
The same source also notes that violence against women is not prosecuted by the courts unless the victims press charges (ibid.). In 2005, cases of domestic violence and crimes against women and children were dealt with by the family courts (ibid.). The law allows a judge to issue a protection order (ibid.). Also, police officers responsible for investigating rape and other crimes against women have received training (ibid.).
In a statement to the United Nations (UN) Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, the Director of Gender Relations for the Ministry of Health, Human Services, Family Affairs and Gender Relations of Saint Lucia, Lera Pascal, mentioned a few government investigations into human trafficking, which occurs infrequently in Saint Lucia (23 May 2006). Counter-trafficking training workshops have been provided for police and law enforcement officials (Saint Lucia 23 May 2006). The Director also noted that Saint Lucia became a signatory to the Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment and Eradication of Violence Against Women in 1994 (ibid.).
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
Saint Lucia. 15 August 2006. Ministry of Health, Human Services, Family Affairs and Gender Relations. Correspondence from a gender relations officer. United States (US). 8 March 2006. Department of State. "Saint Lucia." Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2005. Additional Sources Consulted Oral sources: The High Commission in Ottawa of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States, the regional representative of the Caribbean Association for Feminist Research and Action (CAFRA), and the Saint Lucia Bar did not respond to requests for information within the time constraints for this Response. Internet sites, including: Amnesty International, Caribbean Association for Feminist Research and Action (CAFRA), Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat, Centro de Estudios de Justicia de las Américas, Comité de América Latina y el Caribe para la Defensa de los Derechos de la Mujer (CLADEM), Factiva, Government of Saint Lucia, Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States, Red Feminista Latinoamericana y del Caribe contra la violencia doméstica y sexual, The Star [Castries, Saint Lucia], The St. Lucia Mirror, St. Lucian Statistics.
_____. 23 May 2006. "Statement by Ms. Lera Pascal, Director – Gender Relations, Ministry of Health, Human Services, Family Affairs and Gender Relations to the Thirty-Fifth Session of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women."
