Sen. Irene Sandiford-Garner (left) and Minister of Family, Dr.??Esther Byer Suckoo,??pinning??ribbons on shoppers at Cave Shepherd today.

Women must contemplate their position in the world and realise that they are unworthy of being battered and abused.

That is the view of Barbados’ Principal Delegate to the Organisation of American States’ Inter-American Commission on Women, Senator Irene Sandiford-Garner, who said Government was currently doing all in its power to heighten awareness of the country’s position on the elimination of violence against women.

Senator Sandiford-Garner made the comments today, while pinning ribbons on shoppers at Cave Shepherd, as part of the activities to observe International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and 16 days of Activism Against Gender Violence.

She added: "As much as we would wish to heighten awareness, pass legislation and ensure that the law protects women, it is still a woman’s responsibility at some point to come to the self actualisation or realisation that she is unworthy of abuse, she is worthy of better treatment and move on from there…

"We can do as much as we can to agitate and legislate, but in the final analysis it is up to us as women to look deep into ourselves and it takes great inner strength to do that. There are many women who tell you they cannot walk away, but you will come to the stage where you realise that you are worthy of better treatment, so it boils down in the final analysis to an individual."

Admitting she did not know the extent of the prevalence of male abuse in Barbados, Senator Sandiford-Garner suggested though, that it was rampant, but men were embarrassed to come forward.

She advised women who were affected by domestic violence not to hide it, but to come out and seek redress, since the law was there to protect them.

saustin@barbados.gov.bb

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