CHARLESTOWN, Nevis, May 4th 2011 - The Nevis non-profit, Voices of Women, is pleased to announce that it is hosting a workshop called, “Alternatives to Violence” today (Thursday, 05 May 2011) at the St. Theresa Catholic Church Conference Room, Craddock Road, Charlestown, from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm.

Workshop attendance is by invitation. The workshop was inspired by the many messages against violence written by the Nevis community on the Voices of Women Stop the Cover-Up Quilt as part of its 16 Days Against Gender-Based Violence awareness campaign.

 
Although gender-based violence persists in the Federation, it remains an under-reported and under-prosecuted crime. Domestic violence is considered a crime in the Federation, providing penalties of up to EC$13,500, which includes penalties for emotional abuse. According to the 2010 UNHCR Country Report on Human Rights Practices, the Ministry of Gender Affairs handles an annual average of 25 to 30 reports of domestic violence. However, there were zero convictions or prosecutions for domestic violence that occurred in 2010.

In the past eleven years, eight women in St Kitts and Nevis have been murdered by a male partner. It is also estimated that one in three women will experience a form of violence in her lifetime.
 

The interactive workshop will be facilitated by long-time Nevis resident, Ms. Carol Williams. Ms Williams holds a Master’s Degree in Psychology and has over 35 years of experience in the field of psychology in all diagnostics.

Trained in Minnesota, Ms. Williams has thirty years of experience as a therapist working with men, women and children who have experienced gender-based violence. Her goal is to treat the entire family, rather than just the individual because violence affects the entire household. She’s also worked as a victim advocate and specializes in sexual assault counseling with children, teens and adults. Workshop participants will contain a cross-section of participants, from human resource representatives, police, community leaders and professionals in the field.

 
The Federation is a State Party to the Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment and Eradication of Violence Against Women “Convention of Belem do Para”, Inter-American Convention on the Granting of Civil Rights to Women and the Inter-American Convention on the Granting of Political Rights to Women. St. Kitts and Nevis is also signatory to the United Nations Declaration for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (1993), The Beijing Platform for Action, (1995), the Millennium Declaration (2000), and the U. N. Security Council Regulation 1325 (2000), on Women Peace and Security, (2000).
 

The mission of Voices of Women is to empower women through advocacy, capacity building and fundraising. The workshop is being held with the funds raised through the 12 March 2011 event, “Imagine,” and Voices of Women wishes to give a heartfelt thank you to the generosity of the Nevis public for making this workshop possible.

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