High cost of living forcing women to remain in abusive relationships- FSN Director
Dr Simmonds, in an interview with Virgin Islands News Online recently, said the notion that women only want money from their children fathers and are lazy is farthest from the truth.
She said education on the real issue is crucial, while the high cost of living, is a contributing factor to one of the reasons why some women who earn so little choose to remain in relationships where domestic violence exist.
“One of the things that we need to do is to continue to give more information to the public about Domestic violence and stop saying that women are just wilful, or just being spiteful or lazy, or they don’t want to work, or women just want his money; it’s not about that,” she said.
Food going to ‘Down Island’ people unfair?
Another area Dr Simmonds pointed out was that many perceive that expats who are from “Down Island” with fancy fonts should not receive food.
“We get hit quite often when we feed people. They tell us our food is going for Down Island people and they feel that that’s not fair and we shouldn’t be giving food to Down Islanders who have a nice fancy hairdo, and nice nails,” she stated. “I might have a nice fancy hairdo and nice nails, one you don’t know where I get it. You don’t know if a friend felt sorry for me and decided to treat me to a day at the spa. You don’t know, you see is my children that come to the office, you see I come to the office… she looks nice but you don’t know the situation she is living in, we don’t know that. They say we shouldn’t give to women who look a certain way.”
A number of women hurting
The FSN Director said there are a number of people, including grandparents, who are hurting when it comes to providing food, particularly those who do not get child maintenance on a regular basis, which is the case and has to take care of themselves and their children.
“We need to educate them and say what Domestic Violence is and to stop blame the victim for trying to get help for their kids and if they have to swallow their pride and say I need the help stop labeling them as being lazy women. These women are suffering like crazy and really want to do what’s best for their kids,” she argued.
Similarly, she mentioned, there are women whose husbands have gone to jail for not paying child maintenance, some of whom have government jobs who are not able to feed their families.
Cost of living & rent should be regulated
Dr Simmonds noted that the FSN is only addressing a minute part of the problem and society must open their eyes and see that there is a problem, which is hinged on having a better economy, and the cost of housing and food need to be regulated.
According to Dr Simmonds, there are cases where some people are paid under $3 an hour and have to work every day with no day off when the basic pay was supposed to have gone up to $6. When some complain to the Labour Department, because of who the owners are, nothing is being done.
“Unless we regulate food, cost of housing, cost of living is a factor here and also wages, we are going to be in trouble,” she warned.
When asked if she too shares the view that was recently expressed, that expats who do not pay child maintenance should go home, Dr Simmonds disagreed.
“Why would you send them home? What message are you telling them? Send them home and they are definitely not going to get no payment,” she pointed out.
She also had a possible solution to the problem.
“If their child maintenance hasn’t been paid, then the driver's license cannot be renewed and they get stopped without a driver’s license they are fined. They need to guard his paychecks, send it to an office, saying John Smith has not paid child support and there is a court order saying $300 out of his cheque, and when he gets his money he gets the balance of it but at least his kids get,” Dr Simmonds said.
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17 Responses to “High cost of living forcing women to remain in abusive relationships- FSN Director”
So yes, a lot of people need to learn how to manage their finances but don't just look at people and make assumptions.
As someone who gives to FSN, I feel used. FSN, do a better job of distributing people's donations to the really needy. Yes, cost of living is high, all the more need to spend wisely and make the necessary sacrafices like we all do to make it.
Regarding the child support payment. I Personally feel whether it is government or if it a private business place the magistrate need to reach out to all the men and ladies whom are paying for child support bosses and have the money be deducted from ah man check whether all one time or split but by the first of each month it be directed to the magistrate... Just saying
You all like to count how much money people nake in rental but you never count the cost to get up their buildings, not to mention the bloody head aches along the way .
I know some landlords who catch hell, even with market rates. Some can't even afford to feed their children much less wear fancy hairdoos and nails and if they go to FSN, the first thing you will do is laugh. Bunch of hipocrites.