Despite an increase in reports of domestic violence in the BVI it is likely that a vast majority of instances of abuse in the territory go unreported.
Gender Affairs Coordinator Tara Sue Morgan lamented the fact in a recent interview.
“It is happening out there, it is not a secret that it is here, it is happening… it’s increasing – the reported cases, and if the reported cases are increasing you can imagine… To each one that is reported I am sure there are four more out there that are not reported”, she said.
Morgan said this is why Domestic Violence is often known as “The Silent Killer”.
She explained that the issue of underreporting has many factors, the most prevalent of which in the BVI appears to be fear of revictimization as word spreads through the remarkably small population.
“It’s a small community and a lot of people are fearful that once one person knows it is quite likely several people are going to know and then, especially in this era of social media where people can just catch a little tape, a little conversation, you can just say something privately to your friend and next thing you know it’s on blast… A lot of people they’re trying their best to protect their sanity”, she said.
Social media as a culprit in breeding negative behaviour
She went on to explain that in addition to serving as a ground for gossip and victim blaming, social media may also be a culprit of breeding negative behaviours and beliefs that ultimately contribute to the issue of domestic violence.
In the wealth of information available on the world wide web, she explained that people, especially the younger generation are exposed to many ideologies and social pressures.
These social pressures she said can be negative or positive towards building the younger generation’s knowledge and understanding of such issues.
“It does influence the way persons behave, especially the younger persons who are gullible, who are seeing things and they are trying to shape their identity so they are looking for what’s popular. So if it’s what’s popular then it must be what’s good. Right? If what is popular is that I need to be in charge and to prove that I am a man and to prove that I am the person in charge. Or as a woman I need to assert myself and stop acting as if I am a victim of a man… You have women now who are at the stage saying I am not taking this anymore… They are putting it on social media as well- that I can stand on my own two feet”, she explained.
She noted that with the understanding that social media can influence the way people behave, it is important to monitor what you consume because ultimately this influence can be good or very bad.