The refrain from participants of the regional symposium on domestic violence was clear: the Caribbean has reached a breaking point; not influenced by the noise of protest, but due to the quiet signals that reveal systemic gaps — unanswered police calls, unrecorded reports, the courtrooms where justice is applied unevenly. Across the region, the long-standing silence surrounding domestic violence is slowly breaking.
Domestic violence remains one of the Caribbean’s most pervasive and urgent challenges. While the region has pioneered laws and programs to protect survivors, femicide rates remain among the highest in the world. Seven of the ten countries with the highest femicide levels are in the Caribbean. Surveys supported by UN Women, the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) reveal that about 30% of women in the region have experienced physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner, and nearly 50% when including psychological and economic abuse.
A Case that Broke the Silence
In 2024, the Tot Lampkin v. Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago ruling exposed the consequences of institutional failures. The case centered on Samantha Isaacs, a young woman repeatedly threatened and assaulted by her former partner. Despite multiple reports to the police and pleas for protection, she was murdered. Her mother, Tot Lampkin, sued the State, arguing that its failure to act violated Samantha’s constitutional rights.
The court agreed, marking a landmark ruling that established state accountability for inaction in domestic violence cases. For many across the Caribbean, Samantha’s story illustrated the human cost of systemic gaps. When her mother spoke at the High-Level Symposium to Advance State Responses to Domestic Violence in the Caribbean, the room fell still. Her words, “the help never came,” reinforced the urgency for action.
From Commitment to Collective Action
Against the backdrop of this and similar cases, in October 2025, the IDB and CDB supported the Government of Barbados in convening the first regional symposium on domestic violence in over a decade.
The event brought together Attorneys General, Ministers, heads of bureaus of gender affairs, judicial leaders, and law enforcement officials from 18 Caribbean countries, with support from UN Women and UNFPA. Over two days, more than 100 participants moved beyond diagnosis to concrete actions — focusing on legislative reforms, survivor-centered services, data and monitoring, and institutional accountability.
A Turning Point: The Regional Agreement
Seven governments — Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Guyana, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, and Suriname — signed the Regional Agreement on Legislative and Policy Priorities on Domestic Violence, committing to:
- Strengthen domestic violence legislation and policy
- Adopt key reforms over the next 12–24 months
- Establish a coordinating mechanism to develop model legislation, policy guidance, and accountability mechanisms
This marks one of the region’s most unified commitments on domestic violence since the UNiTE Caribbean Consensus of 2010.
The Work Ahead: Priorities for the Next 12–24 Months
Participants emphasized that commitments must translate into measurable action. The following five priorities emerged:
- Updated Model Legislation and Country Action Plans: Modernize domestic violence laws, integrate protection orders, digital justice tools, and align criminal and civil responses.
- Evaluation of Perpetrator Intervention Programs: Assess the effectiveness and scale of interventions to reduce repeat harm.
- Systematization of Integrated Service Models: Document and expand approaches such as One-Stop Centers and Sexual Offence Model Courts to standardize survivor support.
- Development of a Regional Risk Assessment Tool and Data Harmonization: Pilot shared tools to assess risk, prevent re-victimization, and improve cross-agency coordination.
- Institutionalized Training for Judiciary, Police, and First Responders: Embed continuous professional training into qualifications and practices, supported by regional standards.
- Supporting actions include the creation of a community of practice for ongoing dialogue, a roadmap for implementation, monitoring, and resource mobilization, and continued support and coordination by international development partners.
The IDB’s Commitment
The IDB remains a committed partner in this effort. Across the Caribbean, IDB supports governments to strengthen their capacity to prevent and respond to gender-based violence through data, policy, and services. The initiatives include:
Hope and Justice Centres in Guyana, which provide comprehensive services for survivors. - National prevalence surveys in The Bahamas,
Guyana, Jamaica, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago to improve data and evidence Regional training for law enforcement and judicial personnel to ensure survivor-centered responses; and - Support for
legislative reform in Jamaica on sexual harassment prevention.
In 2025, the IDB launched a
A Region Ready to Act
Institutional bias, limited resources, data gaps, and uneven capacity remain significant challenges. Yet the Caribbean now has a clear path forward. The path requires bold action, with all members of society playing their part. Women, girls, men, and boys who experience domestic violence in the Caribbean cannot wait for change. The region is moving from a foundation of progress to accountability, innovation, and care.
From Barbados, a clear message echoed across the region. Never again should a domestic violence victim in the Caribbean have to say, “the help never came.”
