IT IS A GREAT PLEASURE TO BE HERE WITH YOU TODAY FOR THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE MEETING OF THE REGIONAL CRISIS CENTERS OF THE CARIBBEAN.

I WELCOME ALL OF THOSE VISITING THE BAHAMAS AND HOPE YOU WILL ENJOY YOUR STAY AND RETURN TO VISIT OUR ISLANDS AGAIN.

ALSO MY CONGRATULATIONS TO THE ORGANIZING COMMITTEE FROM THE BAHAMAS CRISIS CENTER WHO HAVE CLEARLY WORKED VERY HARD TO PUT TOGETHER THIS EVENT.

I FIND THE THEME FOR YOUR DISCUSSIONS "CREATING PARTNERSHIPS TO CONFRONT SEXUAL VIOLENCE IN THE CARIBBEAN", TO BE BOTH PROVOCATIVE AND TIMELY.

AS A ROTARIAN I HAVE SEEN THE OBJECTIVE OF THE WORLDWIDE ERADICATION OF POLIO TAKEN ON BY CIVIC GROUPS AND GOVERNMENT HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS AROUND THE WORLD EDGING EVER CLOSER TO THEIR GOAL.

SEXUAL VIOLENCE CAN ALSO ONLY BE EFFECTIVELY APPROACHED THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS.

FORTY (40) YEARS AGO THERE WERE FEW IF ANY CRISIS CENTERS AROUND THE WORLD NOW CRISIS CENTRES ARE FOUND IN ALMOST EVERY COUNTRY.

I WISH TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO CONGRATULATE THE BAHAMAS CRISIS CENTER WHICH IS CELEBRATING ITS 25^TH ANNIVERSARY THIS YEAR.

THE CRISIS CENTER MOVEMENT HAS GROWN IN PART BECAUSE OF THE ENERGY, HARD WORK AND SACRIFICE OF MANY OF YOU HERE TODAY; BUT IT HAS ALSO GROWN PERHAPS SADLY BECAUSE OF THE ENORMOUS NEED.

PHYSICAL AND SEXUAL ABUSE AND RAPE OF WOMEN AND BOTH MALE AND FEMALE CHILDREN IS UNFORTUNATELY QUITE COMMON IN THE BAHAMAS AS IT IS IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD.

THE POLICE STATISTICS FOR THIS YEAR SHOW THAT SIXTEEN PERCENT OF THE MURDERS IN THE BAHAMAS ARE AS A RESULT OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.

HOWEVER POLICE STATISTICS ALSO SHOW THAT THIRTY FOUR PERCENT OF THE MURDERS ARE AS A RESULT OF CONFLICT AND/OR CONFRONTATION WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT RESULT FROM DOMESTIC SITUATIONS OR RELATIONSHIPS.

FURTHER TRENDS ILLUSTRATE THAT FORTY PERCENT OF THE MURDERS OCCURRED IN OR AROUND RESIDENCES AND TWENTY SEVEN PERCENT ON THE STREETS. HENCE SIXTY SEVEN PERCENT OF THE MURDERS IN THE BAHAMAS TOOK PLACE WITHIN THE GENERAL RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY.

THE STATISTICS FROM SOCIAL SERVICES AND THE CRISIS CENTER ALSO SHOW A DISTURBINGLY HIGH INCIDENCE OF ALL FORMS OF CHILD ABUSE.

IT IS ALSO DISTURBING TO NOTE THAT MOST PEOPLE WHO COMMIT THESE CRIMES ARE CLOSE TO US; FAMILY MEMBERS, PARENTS, BROTHERS, UNCLES AND ALSO TRUSTED COMMUNITY FIGURES WHO USE THEIR TRUST AND GOOD NAME TO PERPETRATE ABUSE.

THIS HAS LED TO A CULTURE OF BLAME, EXCUSES ARE MADE FOR THE PERPETRATOR AND THE VICTIM IS OFTEN BLAMED THUS FURTHER TRAUMATISING THEM.

THE CRISIS CENTERS ALREADY DO A COMMENDABLE JOB OF PROVIDING SUPPORT TO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING A CRISIS AND WHO DO NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES OR SUPPORT SYSTEMS TO COPE.

THERE HAS ALSO BEEN A GREATLY IMPROVED AWARENESS OF THE PROBLEMS OF SEXUAL AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AS YOU HAVE FOUGHT FOR LEGISLATIVE CHANGES TO PROTECT VICTIMS OF AGRESSION AND CHALLENGED THE RELEVANT AGENCIES TO FOSTER APPROPRIATE AND SENSITIVE RESPONSES TO THESE ISSUES.

THESE INITIATIVES HAVE ALL LED TO PARTNERSHIPS THROUGH CO-OPERATION WITH HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES, THE POLICE, THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND OUR WHOLE EDUCATIONAL PROCESS.

DESPITE ALL THESE WONDERFUL EFFORTS THE CHALLENGE TODAY IS EVEN GREATER THAN BEFORE.

SOCIETY HAS NOW MOVED FROM DENIAL OF THE PROBLEMS TO THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE LARGE ELEPHANT IN THE FRONT ROOM.

THE SEXUAL AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE THAT WE KNOW IS THERE BUT WE REALLY DO NOT WANT TO TALK ABOUT.

THE GOVERNMENT OF THE BAHAMAS CLEARLY WANTS TO HELP, AND LOOKING AT THE TOPICS LISTED FOR DISCUSSION IN THIS CONFERENCE THE POSSIBILITY FOR PARTNERSHIPS IS VERY PROMISING.

THE QUESTION FOR YOU TO ANSWER THIS WEEK MAY BE WHETHER OR NOT MORE RESEARCH IS REQUIRED TO JUSTIFY THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PROGRAMMES TO PROTECT PERSONS FROM ABUSE.

THE EVER INCREASING REPORTS OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE EVIDENCE THE NEED TO IMMEDIATELY PLAN AND CARRY OUT EFFECTIVE PROGRAMS AND LEGISLATIVE CHANGES.

THERE ALSO NEEDS TO BE A CHANGE IN THE ATTITUDES THAT UNDERPIN A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF THE SEXUAL VIOLENCE IN OUR SOCIETY.

IF I CAN ACHIEVE ANYTHING THIS MORNING I SINCERELY CALL ON THIS MEETING TO DEVELOP INITIATIVES FOR YOUR RESPECTIVE GOVERNMENTS THAT WILL ENABLE THE PROMOTION OF ATTITUDIAL CHANGES IN THE SAME WAY THAT INITIATIVES ARE CHANGING SOCIETIES AROUND THE WORLD IN THEIR VIEWS ON SMOKING AND SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES.

I AM A FIRM BELIEVER THAT IF WE CAN SUCCEED AT CHANGING ATTITUDES THEN WE WILL MAKE GREAT STRIDES IN ERADICATING THE INCIDENTS OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE IN OUR RESPECTIVE COUNTRIES.

AGAIN I WELCOME ALL OF YOU TO THIS REGIONAL MEETING AND WISH YOU EVERY SUCCESS IN THE ENSUING WEEK.

IT IS MY HOPE THAT YOU WILL ALL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE RIGHTS OF ALL OUR PEOPLE TO LIVE IN PEACE AND HARMONY WIHOUT THE FEAR OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE TO OURSELVES OR OUR LOVED ONES.