The Coordinator of the Women’s Safe House run by theWomen’s Forum Communication Timor-Leste (FOKUPERS),Judit R. da Conceição, said in a recent incident a victim who was sheltered at the safe house was assaulted by the perpetrator and members of his family while their case is being heard through the formal judicial system.
Coordinator Conceiçãosaid the assault took place because the FOKUPERS safe house cannot afford to place security staff at the house to offer some protection to victims.
The incident also traumatized staff at the safe house who are now feeling unsafe when providing follow up care to victims.
“We provide a secure place and aid to the victims but we are now feeling insecure because some perpetrators come [to the safe house] and their demeanour is very aggressive,” added the coordinator, in Dili.
FOKUPERS has been accused by some elements in the community of promoting family separation, which Coordinator Conceição dismissed as untrue because the organisation exists to protect and support vulnerable women to access justice.
“We try very hard to make sure the victims can go back to their husbands or families.
We do not try to prevent families finding solutions by themselves when the victim wishes to return home. But if we are dealing with a crime we need to push the case forward through the legal system,” she said.
CoordinatorConceição said currently there are 212 victims staying at the FOKUPERS Safe House, including children; some since 2010 because the perpetrators are still at large.
Meanwhile Member of Parliament (MP) Ilda Maria da Conceicao said she is aware staff who provide support to victims of domestic violence are at risk of violence.
She said also in the past the Women in Parliament Group (GMPTL) allocated funds in the 2012 General State Budget to look into this issue.
“We approved in the budget and gave the funds to the National Police of Timor-Leste to buy vehicles so they could provide security to the victims of violence but in the end, the vehicles were not use to provide security,” said the MP.
She said GMPTL will find out about the whereabouts of the vehicles because victims cannot be left unprotected.
