MARIGOT–Soroptimists International club of St. Martin erected a stone pedestal with a plaque in the garden of Hotel de La Collectivité on Friday afternoon, dedicated to women and girls worldwide who are victims of violence, who have either been beaten or who lost their lives because of violence.
The ceremony was brought forward so that a Soroptimist Club member from New York, Bette Levy, who was vacationing on the island could be included. She is a regular visitor to the island since 2002 and is the Soroptimist International representative at the United Nations (UN). She was due to leave the next day.
The International Day to eradicate violence against women and girls is held on November 25. In keeping with the commemoration, Soroptimist members wore orange T-shirts.
A number of speakers spoke on the theme of violence. They included Bette Levy, Soroptimist Club President in St. Martin Annette Phillips, Third Vice-President of the Collectivité Annick Pétrus, and Secretary-General at the Préfecture, Régine Pam.
Also invited were Territorial Council members, representatives of the Gendarmerie and Police Territorial, Caisse d’ Allocation Familiale (CAF), Securité Social, victims’ associations and other service clubs.
“Violence against women can never be acceptable, never excusable and never tolerated,” said Annette Philips in her remarks.
“Violence against women and girls is a grave violation of human rights,” said Bette Levy. “It affects not only women’s well-being but has negative consequences for families and communities. Domestic violence affects one in three women worldwide. No country is immune to this pandemic. It has taken decades of mobilizing by women’s movements to build awareness to end gender-based violence and put it on the international agenda.
“Public awareness events like this one are crucial if we are going to overcome this struggle. We know that at least 35 per cent of women worldwide have experienced physical and/or sexual violence by an intimate partner. Some nations report it as high as 70 per cent. Globally in 2012 it was estimated that of all women who died, 50 per cent were killed by an intimate partner or family member. Less than 40 per cent of women who experience violence seek help. We have to end this culture of silence.”
Vice-President Pétrus noted the court regularly hears cases of domestic violence. “2014 in St. Martin was a particularly bad year with 46 per cent of incidents attributed to domestic violence.”
She thanked the various institutions, departments, victims’ associations, Gendarmerie and Police for their interventions to help victims, and recognized homeless shelter Le Manteau for opening a counselling room especially for victims of violence.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/83036-soroptimists-unveil-plaque-dedicated-to-female-victims-of-domestic-violence
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