Barbados: Information on the availability of shelters for battered women and the attitude of the police towards women who report spousal abuse
| Publisher | Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 August 1994 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | BRB18126.E |
| Cite as | Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Barbados: Information on the availability of shelters for battered women and the attitude of the police towards women who report spousal abuse, 1 August 1994, BRB18126.E, available at: http://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6abd058.html [accessed 19 June 2013] |
| 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. |
According to a programme officer at the Women and Development (WAND) organization in Barbados, there is an upsurge of violence against women in Barbados but shelters for battered women and rape crisis centres do not exist (22 Aug. 1994).
She stated that the general attitude is that violence against women is not a urgent issue and emphasized that there is a tendance to blame the victim. Consequently women prefer to suffer in silence than report cases of abuse to the police. This also explains the lack of police statists on rape. The source further stated that meetings organized by women to agitate for a specially trained police force to deal specifically with cases of violence against women are poorly attended and have made a negligible impact on Barbadian society.
This response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.
Reference
Women in Development (WAND), Bridgetown. 22 August 1994. Telephone interview with programme officer.
