Call 378-6421: New Hotline Established To Support Domestic Violence Victims
Reports of domestic violence have prompted a group of concerned citizens, spearheaded by Attorney-at-Law Prakash Ramadhar, to launch a domestic violence hotline.
Describing domestic violence as a societal issue which needs to be addressed, Mr. Ramadhar said he, along with President of the Assembly of Southern Lawyers Saira Lakhan and Clinical Psychologist Dr. Valini Pundit, set up the new tool to help victims.
« Since the last meeting we had, over the weekend we have already come up with a hotline, and I will announce that today and Saira will give us more details: 378-6421. You call that, whatever difficulty you have, someone is going to answer it, and they’re going to guide you through it as best as we can as to how to deal with those issues. »
Ms. Lakhan said several members of her executive and several psychologists have volunteered their services.
« The hotline is a 24-hour hotline. It’s going to be manned by volunteers and it’s open to both men and women. It’s also open to children as well, where they can call, and if they would like to report an incident of domestic violence or speak to someone, just to have a listening ear, that’s available. What is also available is we can direct persons who require legal help to volunteers as well. »
Dr. Pundit noted that in addition to the hotline, systems are needed to deal with the trickle-down effect of domestic violence.
« When a woman is battered in the instance of domestic violence, the woman undergoes trauma, the children, but also there is vicarious trauma for people in the neighbourhood, in the community, and we have to have those systems in place where trauma-informed psychologically sensitive mental health is also restored. »
Mr. Ramadhar hopes that other civil society organisations will extend their expertise to assist with the initiative.
