Community Police Officer Rob Stewart, who is in charge of coordinating domestic violence cases on the Sister Islands, is now supported by Police Constable Carla Gratrick, who transferred from the RCIPS Family Support Unit (FSU) on Grand Cayman in March.

While PC Gratrick is on regular shift work in the Brac police, she said that domestic abuse victims who feel more comfortable talking to a woman can request to speak to her, and she will then act as the liaison officer for their case.

A former Domestic Violence Officer in the UK for the Lincolnshire Police Service, PC Gratrick was also involved in a programme to interview vulnerable witnesses via video, which, she said, was a very good system.

"I think we have the resources to deal with the domestic violence issue on the Brac. The problem is getting people to come forward and report it," she pointed out, noting that the RCIPS anti-domestic violence campaign serves to keep the issue fresh in people's minds.

"Domestic violence is not going to go away," she said.

If and when people need the information given through the campaign, they will remember that it's there for them.

"The domestic violence policy is here to protect the vulnerable in our community," said PC Gratrick.

"Everyone has the responsibility to report these incidences - not just victims, but neighbours, family, pastors and doctors. We all have a responsibility to each other."

Help is out there for offenders, too, she observed. If anyone feels they might offend and want help, they, too, can talk to her or CPO Stewart, and they will refer them to counselling or anger management classes at the Probation Unit.

"If we use a two-pronged approach, we can help solve this problem," PC Gratrick believed.

CPO Stewart said, "Since we started getting the agencies together, communications has increased tenfold. As a result we have a better understanding of what is happening in each individual case."

More people are coming forward to speak to the RCIPS on the Brac generally, and CPO Stewart in particular, he said, adding that victims of domestic violence can contact him through the station or on his cell phone (926-0964).

"Usually what happens is that I go to their house or we meet elsewhere and I am able to give them the advice they need," he explained, and noted that victims could make a report to him that way, though this has not happened yet.

So far, all reports have been made through the patrol unit on duty at the time of an incident. Those officers fax the report to the FSU by the end of their shift.

Inspector Angelique Howell, who is head of the unit, is then responsible for disseminating the information to the appropriate agency, whether this is the Department of Children and Family Services, the Probation Unit or Brac Haven Counselling.

CPO Stewart also gets a copy of every report and coordinates the paperwork on the Brac, he said.