National Gender Policy
 National Domestic Violence Protocol
 Domestic Violence Act Sensitization
 Partnership for Peace
 After Support Program

The National Gender Policy will move the
Virgin Islands towards a gender just society.
 32 Policy recommendations have been
made in 7 main sectors.
 The policy aims to achieve both gender
equity and equality in society through the
following interventions.

Legislation- (5 policies)
2. Education- (6 policies)
3. Family Life, Sexual Relations and Gender
Based Violence- (5 policies)
4. Economic Activity and Labor Activities- (7
policies)
1.
Health and Medicine-(4 Policies)
 Gender Ideologies: Religion, Media and
Culture- (3 Policies)
 Gender, Political Participation and Political
Decision Making- (2 Policies)

Policy 1- Legal Literacy Programs
 Policy 2-Drafting of Sexual Offences Bill
 Policy 3- Child Support and Maintenance of
the Family
 Policy 4- Legal Aid
 Policy 5- Inheritance Rights

Policy 6-Data Collection in Education
 Policy 7-Comprehensive reviews of gender,
education and development
 Policy 8-Equity for male and female teachers
 Policy 9- Technical and vocational education
 Policy 10- Sex Education in Schools
 Policy 11- Teenage Pregnancy and
education

Policy 12- Research and Collection of sex
disaggregated data
 Policy 13- Domestic Violence Legislation
 Policy 14- Mainstreaming gender in services
 Policy 15- Protection for victims of domestic
violence
 Policy 16- Community education

Policy 17- Data Collection
 Policy 18- Effective Implementation and
enforcement of the Labor Code
 Policy 19- Undertake public awareness
initiatives
 Policy 20- Paternity leave
 Policy 21- After school care facilities for
children

Policy 22- Sexual harassment in the Labor
Code
 Policy 23- Investigation and enforcement of
laws on trafficking

Policy 24- Health services for men and
women
 Policy 25 -Health information, services and
training for health workers
 Policy 26- Labor Laws as they pertain to
persons infected and affected by HIV/AIDS
require adherence to ILO provisioning for
HIV/AIDS in the workplace.
 Policy 27- Mental Health integrates into the
Primary Health care system.

Policy 28- Full use of media technologies
 Policy 29- Partnership of the Church
 Policy 30- Civic Society support

Policy 31- Equality in political decision
making at all levels
 Policy 32- Evaluation of progress


1.
2.
The specific objectives of the protocol are:
To create awareness amongst stakeholders
of the importance of adopting a more
integrated and systematic response to
domestic violence.
To serve as a guide for stakeholders in the
prevention, reporting and management of
domestic violence
3. To support a coordinated response to
domestic violence that would better facilitate
data collection on the nature and extent of
domestic violence.
To enhance the systemic responses to
domestic violence so as to ensure more
effective service delivery to victims of
domestic violence.
Medical Services
2. Law Enforcement
3. Social Services
4. Legal Services
The protocol address both the internal
processes and procedures of each of these
areas of service delivery, as well as the
working relationship between agencies.
1.
Persons have the right to live a life free from
abuse.
2. Domestic Violence is a serious social
problem with short and long term
implications to victims, their families and
society as a whole.
3. Domestic Violence should be treated
seriously and in immediate response to
incidents of abuse should be provided.
1.
4. Effective responses for victims of domestic
violence
require
cooperation
and
coordination amongst service providers.
5. Treatment and support resources for victims,
their families and offenders are components
of an effective multidisciplinary response to
domestic violence.
Signatures for the Statement of Co-operation
are :
 Commissioner of Police
 Minister of Health and Social Development
 Director of Public Prosecutions
The Domestic Violence Act 2011 was assented
to by His Excellency the Governor on
October 3, 2011.
The public is now being sensitized on the Act
by a multidisciplinary team with the Office of
Gender Affairs taking the lead.
Team members represent, Police, Social
Development, Bar Association and Family
Support Network.
PfP was introduced to the BVI in 2009 to
address the rise in domestic violence cases
reported by the police.
 The PfP was established under the guidance
and financial support of UN Women.
 The first cycle of the PfP started on February
3, 2010 and ended on May 19, 2010.
 PfP is currently on its 6th cycle.

A 16 week violence prevention, psychoeducational program for men.
 The
program is court-connected and
receives most of its referrals from both the
criminal and civil jurisdiction of the court.
 In some cases men have entered the
program by self referrals.

To help participants stop violence in their
lives
 To encourage participants to examine where
their violent behavior originated
 To help participants accept responsibility for
their behavior and to choose alternatives to
violence
 To teach participants skills for addressing
conflict and responding to stress

To
promote
self-efficiency
among
participants in taking steps towards
improving their relationships and their lives
by creating a supportive atmosphere.
 To create a network of men who will
advocate for non-violent relationships.

Class 1-Orientation
 Class2-Understanding
and
Managing
Feelings-Part 1
 Class 3- Understanding and Managing
Feelings-Part 2
 Class 4- Effective Communication
 Class 5-Conflict Resolution
 Class 6- Family History

Class 7- Manhood
 Class 8- Womanhood
 Class 9- Power and Control in Relationships
 Class 10- Sexuality, STIs abd HIV
Prevention
 Class 11- Fatherhood and the Effects of
Violence on Children
 Class 12- Stress Management and Trauma
Recovery

Class 13 – Substance Abuse Prevention
 Class 14- Domestic Violence and the Law
 Class 15- Spirituality
 Class 16- Relapse Prevention and Personal
Development

To date, 32 men have completed the
program with 6 men in the 6th cycle.
 Thus far no participant who completed the
program has appeared before the court on
similar charges.

Was created to support a group of men
which fosters deeper exploration of healthy
relationships and facilitates their commitment
to achieving a violence free life.
 UN Women designed the program and
assisted with the implementation process.

To continue to maintain violent free behavior to
women
2. Using the increased competencies developed
through PfP to continue improving personal
relationships and decreasing violent behavior in
other aspects of life.
3. Reflect and explore increased self awareness
through examining issues that influence choice
and potentially compromise a violence free life.
1.
4. Develop relationships within the group and
create an atmosphere which supports
healthy relationships and non violent
behavior
5. To be advocates for non violent
relationships.
The group is guided by the issues the men
view as important to their developmental
process or to their social interactions. The
facilitators will guide them through the
dialogues by reiterating key discussions in
PfP and pulling out major themes.
 The program is expanded over a 9 month
period.

One-to-one support is provided to
participants of the program by the clinical
supervisor.
 These sessions are provided one day a
week for approximately 3 hours.
