On Friday 25 November 2016, Children Services will join other SHG Directorates in supporting White Ribbon Day, the UN-recognised day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.
Children Services on St Helena support and protect children and their families, including working with victims of domestic abuse.
All relationships have their ‘ups and downs’ but there is a difference between normal arguing or disagreements and abusive behaviour. This abusive behaviour can be physical (hitting), verbal (calling a person names), financial (taking someone’s money), sexual and forcible (for example, forcing someone to marry another person they don’t want to, by threats or violence).
Domestic abuse is abuse that happens between two people in a family, between two people who are in a relationship, or living together or have children together – for example between parents, boyfriend and girlfriend and same sex couples.
The negative impact of children being exposed to, hearing or witnessing domestic abuse, is well recognised. Children can experience short and long term effects such as becoming anxious and depressed, aggressive or withdrawn, having low self-esteem and confidence, poor school attendance or low academic achievements. It can also negatively affect their relationship with the abuser or violent person, or with the victim.
Children Services encourage victims of domestic abuse to come forward and seek support by either contacting them on tel: 23312, visiting their office (behind Ebony View), contacting the Police on tel: 22626 or speaking to a health or education professional.
22 November 2016