Todds Road Health Centre ‘No More Domestic Violence. Know More!’

Do you ever feel dominated, intimidated, humiliated, isolated or threatened in your relationship? Does the one who emotionally or physically abuses you makes you feel guilty or blames you for their negative actions towards you? If you’ve answered yes to any of these questions or know of someone who is being abused, to whom can you turn?

As primary care doctors and nurses, it is not uncommon to see patients who are dealing with domestic abuse. Sometimes the signs are obvious, in the form of cuts and bruises; other times the signs manifest themselves as symptoms of psychological and emotional distress such as anxiety, depression.

The staff of the Todds Road Health Centre under the stewardship of District Health Visitor, Mrs. Ruth Andrews-John hosted a seminar on domestic violence entitled ‘No More Domestic Violence. Know More!’ on May 16th, 2018. Ms. Leah Rampersad, Medical Social Worker I, from the CMOH Caroni South District, educated the audience of over thirty persons on ways to recognise if a person is being abused and also delved into the tactics used by abusers to control their victims.

Corporal Jacey Small of the Chaguanas Community Police, Woman Police Constable Arrindell of the Longdenville Police Station and Ms. Deborah Lee Rivieras, Victim and Witness Support Officer at the Central Division encouraged those present to be their brother’s keeper by looking out for their neighbours, family, friends and the children around them and to report any suspected cases of abuse to a police, teacher, nurse, doctor or someone who can advise on how to get help.

At the end of the Seminar, brochures and information on abuse were shared with the audience and the staff answered questions posed on abuse.

Please visit our Facebook page ( https://www.facebook.com/OfficialSWRHA/ ) for photos related to this event.