Women's CrisisCentre/Counsellor are Priorities
ProgrammeOfficer Tammy Ebanks Bishop presents the minister with a WRC T-shirt.Also pictured are Permanent Secretary, Mr. Carson Ebanks, JP andAdministrative Secretary Vanda Powery Hydes.
A search for a location of a Crisis Centrefor victims of abuse has begun, and some 500 people visited theWomen's Recourse Centre (WRC) seeking assistance over the pastyear. These and other details were shared with the new ministerresponsible for Women's Affairs, Dr. the Hon. Frank McField, duringa recent visit to the WRC. The Minister was accompanied by PermanentSecretary, Mr. Carson Ebanks, JP.
WRC Programme Officer Tammy Ebanks Bishopand Administrative Secretary Vanda Powery Hydes met with the officials.They discussed the planned women's shelter/crisis centre, whichis a top priority of the National Commission Against DomesticAbuse. Also discussed was the need for a trained, full-time counsellorat the WRC who is sensitive to the local culture and women's issues.
"Since I took office, the women's issuespriorities have been realigned since to make the shelter a realityas soon as possible," said Dr. McField. "This will notonly allow a safe environment, but is necessary to break the all-too-realcycle of abuse. Children in these situations are especially affectedand usually grow up to emulate their parents' actions, eitheras abusers or as victims. Intervention and prevention is thereforethe direction in which we must head."
Since opening in November 1997, the WRChas developed to serve a number of purposes. Some current functionsof the WRC include a free walk-in legal clinic for victims ofabuse, the Secretariat for the National Gender Policy and theNational Committee Against Domestic Abuse, breast-feeding facilities,co-ordination of activities and programmes on issues affectingwomen, and serves as a meeting place for groups and organisations.The centre also offers to the public, at no charge, a CommunityComputer and resource library of material on various topics.
To contact the WRC, which is located inthe Elizabethan Square, telephone 949-0006, fax 946-3912, or E-mailat Tammy.Ebanks-Bishop@gov.ky