Imagine a co-worker who is suddenly withdrawn. A neighbour who flinches at loud noises. A friend who has become hard to reach. Signs of domestic abuse and sexual assault are often subtle, but the suffering behind them is profound.

In Bermuda, one in four women (27 per cent) and one in eight men (13 per cent) will experience abuse in their lifetime. And yet, we still lack the laws, policies and systems needed to protect victims and hold abusers accountable.

At the Centre Against Abuse, we see the devastating reality every day. In the past year alone, we supported 159 adult clients — 149 women and ten men — whose lives had been affected by abuse. In doing so, we also helped to ensure the safety of 180 children.

These numbers aren’t just statistics. They represent people: parents, professionals and young adults rebuilding their lives in the aftermath of trauma. Through legal advocacy, emergency safety planning and nearly 500 hours of counselling in 2024, we helped survivors feel safe again, regain confidence and begin to heal.

But the silence around abuse is still deafening.

Too often, abuse is treated as a private matter. Many people do not know what to say or fear saying the wrong thing. Some workplaces lack protocols for when abuse follows someone to the office. Most community organisations don’t talk about it at all.

This silence allows abuse to thrive.

At CAA, we provide crucial services to survivors, and we also work across government and community groups to drive systemic change. Through partnerships with the Department of Child and Family Services, Bermuda Police Service, Ageing and Disability Services, and others, we co-ordinate community responses for high-risk domestic abuse cases under the Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Committee.

We are also proud to be members of the Sexual Assault Response Team, which ensures wraparound care for survivors of sexual abuse. We applaud the Government for its work to date around domestic abuse and sexual assault, and are looking forward to the implementation of the Domestic Abuse Court.

However, without strong laws and a national strategy, our progress will be limited.

We urge the Government and Opposition to work together to:

• Develop a National Domestic Abuse and Sexual Assault Strategy to guide prevention, response and survivor recovery island-wide

• Implement a Domestic Abuse Act to clearly define abuse, support survivors, hold perpetrators accountable and establish clear standards for all

We also call on businesses to adopt workplace policies that support employees affected by abuse. And we ask churches, schools, sports clubs and community groups to foster open conversations about healthy relationships and safe spaces.

Ending abuse is not just a legal issue or a woman’s issue. It’s a community responsibility.

You can help. Learn the signs. Speak up. Support someone in need. Believe survivors.

At Centre Against Abuse, our vision is clear: a Bermuda free from domestic abuse and sexual assault. A Bermuda where families feel safe, where workplaces offer support, and where communities stand together to break the cycles of abuse.

We know this future is possible, but only if we work towards it together.

Every one of us has a role to play in ending abuse. The time to act is now.

• Laurie Shiell is the executive director of Centre Against Abuse. To learn more or support our work, visitwww.centreagainstabuse.bm