Document #1159672
IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Author)
The sources consulted indicate that the
situation concerning the protection and redress available to
victims of domestic violence, and the attitude of the police and
judiciary toward such victims in Jamaica has not changed since
Response to Information Request JAM15541.E of 20 October 1993. For
additional information that may be useful, please refer to page 487
of Country Reports 1993. This document is available at your
Regional Documentation Centre.
A representative of the Women's Crisis
Centre (Woman Incorporated) in Kingston, Jamaica provided the
following summary of the current situation (2 May 1994). There are
shelters for battered women and there is recourse to the services
of private lawyers for those who can afford it. The services of the
legal aid clinic are available for those who cannot afford the cost
of a private lawyer. Concerning the attitudes of the police to such
victims, the representative noted that most complaints are not
given the attention they deserve. Therefore, most victims of
domestic violence report cases only for record purposes and not
because they expect the police to act expeditiously, prudently or
in accordance with the law. As a result, it is common for most
victims of domestic violence to drop charges against their abusers
before the cases even get to trial (ibid.).
With regard to the attitude of the
judiciary toward victims of domestic violence, the representative
stated that the judiciary is generally very cooperative and tends
to deal with offenders according to the stipulations of the law
(ibid.).
A representative of the Jamaica Legal Aid
Clinic in Kingston, Jamaica corroborated the information provided
by the representative of the Women's Crisis Centre (2 May 1994).
The representative added that the organization tries, as much as
possible, not to turn away those seeking legal assistance from the
legal aid clinic. Nonetheless, their service is not free, and even
at the reduced rates, they may still lower their fees if a person
cannot afford it (ibid.). For additional information that may
explain the general attitude towards victims of domestic violence,
please refer to the attachment.
This response was prepared after
researching publicly accessible information currently available to
the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does
not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular
claim to refugee status or asylum.
Jamaica Legal Aid Clinic, Kingston,
Jamaica. 2 May 1994. Telephone interview with representative.
Women's Crisis Centre (Woman
Incorporated), Kingston, Jamaica. 2 May 1994. Telephone interview
with representative.
Gordon, Laura. 1985. "Silent Crimes
Against Jamaican Women," Women of the Caribbean. Edited by
Pat Ellis. London: Zed Books Ltd., pp. 80-83.
Kamugisha, Stephanie. 1985. "Violence
Against Women," Women of the Caribbean. Edited by Pat Ellis.
London: Zed Books Ltd., pp. 74-79.
Shorey-Bryan, Norma. 1985. "The Making
of Male-Female Relationships in the Caribbean," Women of the
Caribbean. Edited by Pat Ellis. London: Zed Books Ltd., pp.
69-73.