By Sue-Ann Wayow
FROM 2018 to 2022, there were almost 10,000 cases of domestic violence reported to police.
This was disclosed by Minister of Social Development and Family Services Donna Cox on Monday when she spoke during the regional symposium on violence as a public health issue.
For the same period, 175 lives were lost to domestic violence and another 504 to suicide, the minister told attendees at Hyatt Regency Hotel in Port of Spain.
Cox further revealed that cases filed before the Court during the August 2017 to July 2022 showed that 1,811 children were before the court for criminal matters, 1,405 cases were filed for children in need of supervision, 27,095 cases for domestic violence, 8,608 cases for maintenance, 13,222 divorce cases and 2,487 custody matters filed.
These figures she said showed that families were in crisis.
“These are not just crime and social services figures. For us, this data represents broken families, affecting thousands of our citizens, regardless of age, gender, race or economic circumstances. The sum total of these numbers paints a picture of families in crisis. Families in crisis mean communities in crisis and communities in crisis reflect a nation in crisis. When this is spread across the region, we can safely say that our region is in crisis,” Cox said.
Data showed that there is a link between poor parenting and the likelihood of a child engaging in criminal behaviour later in life.
Cox said, “In some families it is reported that gangs have taken over the role of parents guiding our young men and women and providing them with a false sense of safety and security.”
Touching on the social issue, she said, “Our crime-fighting initiatives must also focus strategically on social determinants which include parenting, values, attitudes and behaviours and the family. It is from the family, issues emanate and spill over into the wider society.”
Cox statements echoed that of previous speakers who all agreed that crime and violence had social components many stemming back to childhood.
