Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Security, Hon. Dr. Horace Chang says the newly constructed Victim Centre located on the Denbigh Showground in May Pen, Clarendon is a symbol of the commitment held by the government to end violence against women and children.
Speaking at the handing over ceremony for the One Stop Victim Centre for CISOCA (Centre for Investigation of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse) today (December 13), the Security Minister emphasised the role that one-stop facilities play in providing seamless and immediate support to victims.
“There has always been a call from stakeholders for the Corporate Area model of CISOCA, which operates using a multi-agency approach with the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA), the police and the medical services under one roof, to be replicated across the island” says the Security Minister.
In 2022, police statistics identified Clarendon as one of five parishes with high risk violence against women and girls. With the opening of this new facility, the Security Minister noted that “this One-Stop Victim Centre in Clarendon is a direct response and intervention to strengthen the capabilities of the Jamaica Constabulary Force to respond to and support victims of domestic violence in the parish.”
Minister Chang announced that by the end of this calendar year, Kingston and St. Andrew will be served by a newly renovated and more modern CISOCA facility with the relocation of the CISOCA Headquarters from Ruthven Road to the Upper Musgrave area in St. Andrew.
In delivering the keynote address Minister Chang emphasised that “as we establish this One-Stop Centre, we recognise the importance of a comprehensive, coordinated, and multi-agency response to heinous crimes committed against the most vulnerable members of our community – our women and girls.”
The European Union in partnership with UNICEF Jamaica, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Spotlight Initiative played key roles in the establishment of the facility on the Denbigh Show Grounds in May Pen, Clarendon.
There are now ten (10) Domestic Violence Intervention Centres (DVICs) spread across the island to effectively treat with cases of domestic violence.
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