In commemoration of International Women’s Day 2021, Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ) is pleased to announce the forthcoming launch of a Gender-based Violence (GBV) Support Group, dubbed “VINE: Healing from Violence Together.”
Starting in April 2021, JFJ will establish a support group to provide therapeutic, legal, and social support for survivors of gender-based violence. The support group will help facilitate healing, resilience, and access to justice among survivors. This launch follows the organisation’s June 2020 “Justice Services for Survivors of GBV” initiative which provides redress, legal and support services to survivors of gender-based violence.
“Far too often, survivors of gender-based violence avoid or abandon seeking justice because they lack the support and guidance needed to endure the process. Increasingly, we have recognized that supporting “access to justice” for survivors includes so much more than pursuing legal processes. It includes creating space for survivors to heal, improving their legal literacy as well as their ability to choose the course of action that best suits their needs, and helping them navigate an intimidating justice system. Through this initiative, we hope to be of service to those in need. We are deeply grateful to the Embassy of Belgium for their generous support towards this work,” said Malcolm, Executive Director of JFJ.
A launch event in the support group’s honor will stream on March 25, 2021 across all social media platforms for Jamaicans for Justice and the Embassy of Belgium in Jamaica. The online gathering will take shape as a forum and benefit concert featuring civil society partners and special guests engaging in dialogue about the national gender-based violence situation, what can be done, and what we are doing to shift the tide and #EndGBVinJA.
This event, and the upcoming support group are made possible with kind support from the Embassy of Belgium in Jamaica.
Ambassador Hugo Verbist shared: “Worldwide, the hardship endured due to the consequences of the COVID19 pandemic has only increased the risk for women and girls to be the victim of Gender Based Violence, often in the domestic sphere. This is unfortunately also the case in Jamaica. It is imperative that we all invest in ways to protect, support and enrich the lives of all women in these situations, allowing them to hope for a better future. The Embassy of Belgium in Jamaica is proud to support Jamaicans for Justice with this crucial initiative.”
Justice, Truth, Be Ours, Forever.