Silently marching in the streets of Roseau, throngs of protesters clutched placards declaring their purpose and demanding justice with slogans such as “Leave di people pickney dem alone,” “Stop Violence against women,” “Silence equals support.”
Their tactic was silence, but their message resounded: protection and rights of children, as well as violence against women.
The Business and Professional Women (BPW) Dominica, joined its sister chapter in Grand Cayman and others across the region on their 19th annual Silent Witness March on October 18, 2019, from the Arawak House of Culture to the Roseau Bayfront.
In 2000, BPW Cayman established the Silent Witness March as a small tribute to those who have lost their lives due to, or have been impacted by, domestic violence.
This year’s theme, ‘Remember My Story, Remember My Name,’ encouraged a move away from the stigma often associated with the topic, towards open and honest discussions about domestic violence and its victims.
Succeeding the match, President of BPW Dominica Rhoda St. John told the ceremony, too often the voices of the abused women and children go unheard and justice unserved. She urged the general public to take heed of domestic abuse as it is “everybody’s business.”
This article is copyright © 2019 DOM767
