Portia Simpson Miller and Marie Powell at the official opening. - Michael Slowly IT was a joyous celebration last Wednesday when Woman Inc. officially opened the new home of the Crisis Centre at 7 Denehurst Avenue in Kingston.
The new facility is spacious, aesthetically appealing and was refurbished with a generous donation from the Scotiabank Foundation.
Guest speaker for the opening was Tourism and Sports Minister, Portia Simpson-Miller, who also has responsibility for women's affairs.
She congratulated Woman Inc. on the achievement and noted that 6,680 women sought the help of the centre in 1999.
"The issue on the table is developing the mechanisms to fight the onslaught of violence on the society which affects men, women and children," she said.
The minister noted that the Bureau of Women's Affairs and AWOJA are conducting a comprehensive review of the body of legislation affecting women and that lawyers were currently reviewing the legislation including bills currently before Parliament.
"One of the recommendations we are putting forward is that common law relationships be recognised in the context of shared property once these unions have been in existence for five years," she said.
She noted that solutions to the factors contributing to violence against women lie in the authentic empowerment of women to be economically independent as well as safe and secure in a physical sense.
The Denehurst Avenue Crisis Centre is equipped with a full-time administrator, paid for by Grace Remittance, the premises has a security system donated by Women's Association of Self-Improvement (WASI), more privacy for clients, a user-friendly environment and students from UTech voluntarily carry out the computer work.
Two victims of domestic violence, who had been assisted by the Centre gave graphic accounts of the spousal abuse they had suffered.
Also addressing the opening were Mrs. Marie Powell, executive director of Scotiabank Foundation and Senator Aloun N'dombet Assamba, CEO, City of Kingston Credit Union.
Prior to presenting the President of Women Inc. with a cheque for $20,000.00, Senator Assamba used her own experience with spousal abuse to encourage women to support the Centre in its efforts to educate those trapped in abusive relationships.
