AS the world prepares to commemorate International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (IDEVAW) 2023 on Saturday, two of Jamaica’s leading non-governmental organisations dedicated to the protection of human rights are calling for more action from the State to address the challenges facing victims of gender-based violence.

Jamaica Aids Support For Life (JASL) and Eve For Life have charged that, while there has been much talk over the years about the need to address gender violence, there has not been enough action.

The United Nations has declared ‘Investing to prevent violence against women and girls’ as the theme for IDEVAW 2023, and policy and advocacy officer at JASL Patrick Lalor says it is a theme which Jamaica needs to take seriously.

“There is much to be done legislatively. There is much to be done in terms of the social protection services that are needed to address this issue — and we have a significant shortfall,” said Lalor as he added his voice to frequently made calls for harsher penalties for people who ignore protection orders issued under the Domestic Violence Act.

Addressing a Jamaica Observer Press Club at the newspaper’s Beechwood Avenue, St Andrew, office on Wednesday, Lalor said legislators have long promised an increase in the penalties.

“I remember there was a $500,000 announcement, there was a $1-million announcement, but they remain announcements and the law is still the law,” said Lalor as he noted that under the current Domestic Violence Act a person who breaches a protection order can only be fined a maximum of $10,000 and/or a time of imprisonment not exceeding six months.

He underscored that the legislation allows the sitting judge to impose both or one or the other and noted that the time in prison could be as little as 10 days.

“I can tell you, as somebody in the field, that I have seen perpetrators tear up the order and throw it away and say him can pay the $10,000,” said Lalor.

In 2019 Gender Minister Olivia “Babsy” Grange announced that a review was done in order to introduce new and harsher penalties for the perpetrators of domestic violence.

Under the Domestic Violence Act, 1996 the court may issue a protection order if it is satisfied that the accused has used, or threatened to use, violence against, or caused physical or mental injury to a person and is likely to do it again.

The protection order prohibits someone who is abusive — either verbally, emotionally or physically — from entering or remaining in a particular household residence, place of work, place of education, or any particular place that could affect a prescribed person.

Lalor was supported by co-founder and development and training director for Eve for Life Joy Crawford who told the Observer Press Club that victims of domestic violence sometimes suffer repeatedly at the hand of the perpetrator because of the low penalty for breaches of a protection order.

“Every time our gatekeepers make announcements, the survivor says, ‘Okay, something is going to happen for me now; there is a little hope coming.’ And then it doesn’t happen. Every time there is an incident in the public view and our policymakers visit a house, or go to a community, or speak about it from a political platform with a promise and nothing happens, it hurts the survivor,” lamented Crawford.

“So it may seem as though it is a political ball game, but the woman who is experiencing the violence in her house is the one who feels it the most. She loses hope. She is not so sure if she even steps out that the chains are going to be there to support her. She also wonders if the police will really show up this time,” added Crawford.

According to Crawford, the State has an obligation under conventions to protect the women and girls who are victims, but this is not happening sufficiently.

“So the danger at the survivor level is everybody wants her to break free, but how? Where is the support?” questioned Crawford.

For Lalor, the State’s duty to protect victims of gender-based violence goes beyond a convention.

“The constitution guarantees every citizen freedom from inhumane and degrading treatment…and anybody in a relationship where people beating them up as they will, the security of that person is not guaranteed, so the State has an obligation to protect the victims,” charged Lalor.

JASL will mark IDEVAW 2023 with a silent protest involving a march from Liguanea Club in New Kingston to the Half-Way-Tree Transport Centre, starting at 2:00 pm today.