Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: Police effectiveness with regard to domestic violence, including whether they respond to domestic violence calls; training provided to police with regard to domestic violence; services offered by the police to victims of domestic violence; the number of female police officers on the police force (2009-July 2013)

1. Overview of the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Forces

According to Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2012

the Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police, the only security force in the country, is responsible for maintaining national security. Its forces include the Coast Guard, Special Services Unit, Rapid Response Unit, Drug Squad, and a new Anti-Trafficking unit (US 19 Apr. 2013, 4).

The Minister of National Security is responsible for the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines police force (VCT n.d.; US 19 Apr. 2013, 4).

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2010 observed that there were about 890 members of the Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines police force (US 8 Apr. 2011, 3). Information on the number of female police officers on the police force could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

1.1 Special Unit

The official website for the Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines reported in March 2012 that a unit was being created in the Police Force to deal specifically with issues such as domestic violence (VCT 1 March 2012). The US Department of State Trafficking in Persons Report 2013 corroborates the fact that the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines police force has a special unit focused on "human trafficking, sexual offenses and domestic violence" (June 2013, 317). According to a message from the Commissioner of Police published on the website of the national newspaper The Vincentian, "[t]he Anti-Trafficking in Persons Unit (ATIPU) was established on March 07, 2012 and officially launched on April 13, 2012" (2012). The government website reported the launch of the ATIPU at the [Questelles] Police Station (VCT 17 Apr. 2012). The I-witness news website, reporting on current affairs in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (n.d.) also reported that in keeping with the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons Act, the government created a police unit designated to handle domestic violence and child abuse cases, located in South Leeward at the Questelles Police Station and initially consisting of two members (I-Witness News 2 Apr. 2012). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

2. Police Effectiveness with Regard to Domestic Violence

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2012 noted that "police were often reluctant to follow up on domestic violence cases" (US 19 Apr. 2013). The Report of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review for Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (UPR Report) reported that the US "noted that in many instances domestic violence went unpunished" (UN 11 July 2011, para. 24). The UPR Report also included the following recommendation from the US: "[e]ncourage the police to follow up on all allegations of domestic violence" (ibid., para. 76.22).

In their report of July 2010 to the Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean, a subsidiary organ of the regional UN group the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (UN n.d.), Saint Vincent and the Grenadines reported that

In some cases due to the stereotyping of women as weaker and requiring of protection, women are treated with more courtesy and respect than men conversely, due to cultural values supportive of male dominance, it has been recorded that women are sometimes discriminated against by members of the Police Force in cases where the police are required to pursue investigations into acts of domestic violence.

In these situations, women are sometimes actively discouraged from pursuing their complaints under the Domestic Violence (summary proceedings) Act or may even be treated with contempt and hostility by members of the police (VCT July 2010, 1-2).

Reporting on parliamentary caucus activities for 24 July [2012], The Vincentian noted that a Senator inquired about police training regarding violence against women and trafficking in persons and that "the Prime Minister indicated that he would really look to see how the training of police officers was being done" ([July 2012]). The Vincentian also noted that "[w]omen who have been victims of violence, have found it difficult to make reports to the police" ([July 2012]).

2.1 Training Provided to Police

In their national report to the Inter-American Commission of Women, the Gender Affairs Division of the National Mobilization, Social Development, Gender Affairs, Non-Governmental Organisations Relations, Persons with Disabilities, Youth Affairs and Sports of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines stated that the government is providing "training to Police Officers in the areas of management of Domestic Violence cases to enable them to deal more sensitively with women in these matters" (VCT 25 Oct. 2010, 5)

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2010 reported that "[p]olice received training on domestic abuse, emphasizing the need to file reports and, if there was sufficient evidence, to initiate court proceedings" (US 8 Apr. 2011, 8-9). Without providing further details, the UPR Report stated that "the Police Service had been receiving special training to help officers to be more sensitive in dealing with issues of domestic violence" (UN 11 July 2011, para. 30).

In their Final Report on Saint Vincent and the Grenadines regarding their implementation of the Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment and Eradication of Violence Against Women, the Organization of American States (OAS) noted the "ongoing training of the relevant authorities" as a remaining obstacle to the implementation of the Convention and recommended "[s]ustained and comprehensive training programmes for police and other relevant personnel" (26 Mar. 2012, 1, 14).

3. Services Offered by the Police to Victims of Domestic Violence

Information on the services offered by the police to victims of domestic violence could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. However, the following information may be of interest.

Without providing further details, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2012 reported that 19 programs for women and children were offered by the government's Gender Affairs Division (US 19 Apr. 2013, 9). The report also noted the opening of a government crisis centre for victims of domestic violence in April 2012 (ibid.). The location of the Centre is a secret and it is meant to also act as a temporary shelter, however the report observed that "the shelter was inadequate to meet the needs of local women because it could be accessed only through court order, precluding assistance to those in immediate crisis" (ibid.). The Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2010 reported that the Gender Affairs Division "provided a referral and information service for domestic violence victims, educating victims on the role of the police, legal matters, and the family court in dealing with domestic violence, as well as possible assistance from various NGOs" (US 8 Apr. 2011, 8).

The OAS report observed that a government-run crisis centre for women and children victims of domestic violence has been in existence since 2009, offering counselling and rehabilitation, however the centre is not fully operational (26 Mar. 2012, 11). The report also noted that based on the information provided by Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, "there is no access to other services such as free pre-trial legal counsel, 24 hour national hotlines, health care programmes or psychological counselling (except if resid[ing] in Centre) or self-help groups" (OAS 26 Mar. 2012, 11).

The telephone number for a Women's Crisis Center can be found on the website of the organization Leave Out Violence in St. Vincent & the Grenadines, an NGO working against violence and crime in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (L.O.V.N.S.V.G. n.d.).

For further information on whether the National Crisis Centre has opened, please see Response to Information Request VCT103850.E.

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 sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

I-Witness News. 2 April 2012. "New Police Unit to Handle Domestic Violence, Child Abuse Cases." [Accessed 25 July 2013]

_____. N.d. "About I-Witness News Legacy Site." [Accessed 25 July 2013]

Leave Out Violence in St. Vincent & the Grenadines (L.O.V.N.S.V.G.). N.d. "Home." [Accessed 26 July 2013]

Organization of American States (OAS). 26 March 2012. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: Country Report. [Accessed 26 July 2013]

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (VCT). 17 April 2012. "Anti-Trafficking In Persons Unit Launched Here." [Accessed 26 July 2013]

_____. 1 March 2012. "Police to be Better Equiped to Deal with Domestic Disputes Soon." [Accessed 18 July 2013]

_____. 25 October 2010. National Report: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. [Accessed 25 July 2013]

_____. July 2010. Report of St. Vincent and the Grenadines to the Eleventh Session of the Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean. [Accessed 18 July 2013]

_____. N.d.. "About Us." [Accessed 25 July 2013]

United Nations (UN). 11 July 2011. Report of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. (A/HRC/18/15) [Accessed 18 July 2013]

_____. N.d. Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean. "Eleventh Session of the Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean." [Accessed 30 July 2013]

United States (US). June 2013. "St. Vincent and the Grenadines (Tier 2)." Trafficking in Persons Report 2013. [Accessed 18 July 2013]

_____. 19 April 2013. "St. Vincent and the Grenadines." Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2012. [Accessed 18 July 2013]

_____. 8 April 2011. "St. Vincent and the Grenadines." Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2010. [Accessed 18 July 2013]

The Vincentian. [July 2012]. "The Truth from Inside the Parliament." [Accessed 18 July 2013]

_____. 2012. "Developing our Police Force to Ensure the Continuing Development of our Nation." [Accessed 26 July 2013]

Additional Sources Consulted

Oral Sources: Attempts to contact the following organizations were unsuccessful: Leave Out Violence in St. Vincent & the Grenadines; Ministry of National Security; Gender Affairs Department, Ministry of Social Development; Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force; Saint Vicent and the Grenadines Human Rights Association. Representatives of the National Council of Women did not respond within the time constraints of this Response. Representatives of Family Services Division of the Ministry of Social Development were unable to provide information.

Internet Sites, including: Amnesty International; Caribbean Community; Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative; Council on Hemispheric Affairs; ecoi.net; Factiva; Freedom House; Human Rights Watch; Interpol; National Broadcast Corporation Radio; Stop Violence Against Women; United Nations - CEDAW, Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, IRIN, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, RefWorld, UNDP, UNICEF, UNWomen; United States - Overseas Security Advisory Council.