Victim Support Services (VSS) is proud to announce its continued partnership with the St. Maarten Police Force (KPSM) to promote education and awareness of domestic violence through a gender-based violence (GBV) perspective. Together, the VSS/KPSM team will conduct a series of specialized GBV training sessions for various departments within the Ministry of Justice, aiming to enhance the understanding and response of law enforcement personnel to domestic violence.
What sets this initiative apart is the involvement of individuals with lived experiences of GBV. Recognizing the power of authentic voices, VSS has invited survivors to vet and provide feedback on the training materials before they are presented to law enforcement teams. This groundbreaking approach ensures the training aligns with the real-life challenges and needs of survivors, making it both practical and impactful.
A pivotal role in this initiative is played by the SISTERHOOD, a group of resilient women survivors led by Ms. Ramona Riley, Director of Prominent Women and host of “Every Woman’s Voice.” Their insights and experiences are helping to shape the training to better inform and guide law enforcement officers in their interactions with domestic violence survivors.
Inspector Patricia Richardson of KPSM shared her thoughts on the initiative: “It’s very meaningful for me to be working with victims of domestic violence in this way—not just as KPSM supporting victims, but as survivors now supporting us to make DV trainings more purposeful.”
Cassandra Richardson, Director of VSS, emphasized the importance of survivor feedback in shaping these trainings: “It’s of significant importance that we, as service providers, hear from and implement feedback from those we aim to serve. How else will we know if we’re truly making a difference in the lives that need it?”
The domestic violence trainings for law enforcement teams are scheduled to begin early next year, marking a significant step forward in ensuring that law enforcement officers are equipped with the knowledge, empathy, and tools to effectively address domestic violence in St. Maarten.
