In a strong tackle marking the launch of the Royal Bahamas Police Power’s new Home Violence Unit, Prime Minister Philip Davis pledged a renewed nationwide dedication to help survivors and remodel how the nation responds to abuse.
“Immediately, we take a step ahead—not a repair, not a end line, however an actual step—in saying to the people who find themselves hurting: we’re right here, and we’re doing one thing about it,” Prime Minister Davis stated on the unit’s opening ceremony.
The brand new unit, staffed by specifically educated officers, is designed to supply a extra empathetic and coordinated response to home abuse circumstances. Officers will work alongside social staff, shelters, and different companions to make sure survivors aren’t retraumatized by having to repeat their tales and navigate the system alone.
“This unit wasn’t created for statistics or for press releases. It was created for that lady who has packed and unpacked her bag a dozen instances, looking for the proper second to depart,” stated Davis. “It was created for the kid who flinches at raised voices, as a result of they’ve discovered what comes subsequent.”
The Prime Minister emphasised that whereas the unit is a serious step, it’s a part of a broader nationwide technique. That technique contains legislative reform, extra sources for shelters and secure housing, and prevention-focused schooling initiatives.
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“This can be a nation the place your security issues, your voice issues, and your ache will not be ignored,” Davis stated, addressing survivors instantly. “You aren’t invisible. And you aren’t alone.”
The Prime Minister additionally acknowledged the long-standing work of advocates and organisations who’ve supported victims—typically with out correct recognition or funding. He gave particular because of First Woman Anne Marie Davis, whose advocacy performed a pivotal function within the creation of the unit.
“To the officers who will workers this Unit: you carry the hopes of many,” Davis stated. “Deal with [survivors] with care. Serve with delight. And know that you’re doing one thing profoundly vital.”
Framing the difficulty as a collective accountability, the Prime Minister referred to as on all Bahamians to reject silence and stigma and assist construct a society the place “abuse has no dwelling.”
“Let’s make it identified—by means of our phrases, by means of our methods, by means of our tradition—that abuse has no dwelling right here,” he stated.
