Programmes

"Domestic abuse is most common among women aged 18 - 34"

The Cayman Islands Crisis Centre (CICC) is a non-profit organization established in early 2003. CICC held its opening ceremony on International Women’s Day, 8 March 2003. The CICC provides the Cayman Island’s only Emergency Shelter for female survivors of domestic abuse and their children, 24-hour Crisis Line (#943-2422), assistance to all survivors of abuse, ongoing support to former shelter clients, teen and young adults’ afterschool programme for at-risk youth, helpline for children, a walk-in centre for all survivors of domestic abuse, community education and ongoing support and services.

24 Hour Crisis Line 943-2422

Our 24/7 confidential crisis line is dedicated to responding to issues of domestic abuse and serves as the primary contact for persons seeking crisis psychoeducational and emotional support and guidance as well as access to safe shelter. This number is available to all persons in the community including women, men, and children.

If you are being hurt by your partner, or you suspect someone you know is, call this number. If it is an emergency, please dial 911.

We will look after you from there.

Emergency Shelter

survivors of domestic abuse in the Cayman Islands have 24 hours a day, 7 days a week access to our Emergency Shelter. In our four-bedroom facility we can provide housing for up to 26 women and children at one time.

Various services are available to our shelter residents:

Case management
Risk assessments
Safety planning
Individual and group psychoeducational and emotional support and psychoeducational sessions
Parenting education
Support groups
Resource referrals and advocacy
Children and Youth Programme (see below).

Our clients’ safety is our priority; therefore, the Emergency Shelter has 24-hours 7 days a week physical security and it is equipped with cameras, monitors, panic buttons and sirens.

Children and Youth Programme (CAYP)

The rationale following the Children and Youth Programme (CAYP) is to highlight and counter the effects of domestic abuse on children within a nurturing and supportive environment during a critical stage of development in their lives. The purpose of the Children and Youth Programme is to provide intervention and prevention services for school aged children who either witnessed or are survivors of domestic abuse. This programme focuses on safety and wellbeing of the children who accompany their mothers to the shelter. CAYP helps with anxiety; self-blame; addresses post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms and promotes healthy growth and development in supportive setting. The CAYP also provides individual and group sessions geared towards enhancing self-esteem and safety, teaches non-violent social skills and increases knowledge about child abuse and prevention for mothers.

Estella’s Place

As our ultimate goal is to eradicate domestic abuse from the Cayman Islands, we wanted to be accessible to everyone in the community, do more preventive work, strengthen our relationship with other agencies and organizations and to work directly with youth to positively affect future generations. Opened in 2017 our walk-in centre Estella’s Place was named after our first Executive Director, Estella Scott-Roberts. Estella’s Place is accessible to male survivors of domestic abuse and female survivors who do not need safe shelter but would like to access our programmes and services, to children and their parents, teenagers, and young adults. It is a place where we can address the growing need for a centre for at-risk youth, and to involve in the healing process of our clients their support system. Estella’s Place also allows us to include in our services and strengthen collaboration with other agencies and service providers.

At Estella’s Place, we offer to our walk-in clients:

Case management
Risk assessments
Safety planning
Individual sessions, and sychoeducational groups
Parenting education
Support groups
Resource referrals and advocacy

Outreach Programme

The goal of this programme is to prevent domestic abuse by raising awareness and providing information and prevention education on the issues of domestic abuse, sexual assault, the effects of domestic abuse on children, child abuse prevention and healthy relationships to public, community organizations, schools, churches, and businesses. This programme also enhances CICC’s visibility in the public eye, promotes and improves access to our services as well as to other service providers.

To schedule a pro bono workshop or presentations, please contact: outreach@cicc.ky

TAYA Lounge

Partially funded by Hedge Funds Care Cayman, TAYA (teens and young adults) Lounge is a safe place for at-risk youth ages 14-21, who either experienced or witnessed domestic abuse, have difficulties with finding effective ways to conflict resolution and in addition have very few or no family members/adults to rely on. The primary purpose of TAYA Lounge is to end the generational cycle of abuse by providing safe and supportive environment and ongoing therapeutic intervention for at-risk youth and young adults after they graduate from school, after they are discharged from group care or are “aged out” from the foster care system. TAYA Lounge also provides recreational activities, and life skills development; it is a place where youth can make social and emotional connection with peers who also experienced similar challenges in their lives and build positive and supportive relationships.

To contact TAYA Lounge email: taya@cicc.ky.

Aftercare Programme

The aim of the Aftercare Programme is to provide follow up care to former Emergency Shelter clients, who have been survivors of domestic abuse and/or sexual assault and are starting their lives free from abuse. The purpose of this programme is to provide a continuum of support after clients leave the shelter and identify and reduce risk factors surrounding abuse and poverty. The Aftercare Programme is designed to assist women and their children with crisis psychoeducational and emotional support; monthly psychological and educational support groups; referral services; housing; employment; parenting skills, and in-kind donations.

Statistics

1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have experienced some form of physical abuse by an intimate partner
Intimate partner abuse accounts for 15% of all violent crime
1 in 15 children are exposed to intimate partner abuse each year, and 90% of these children are eyewitnesses to this abuse
Domestic abuse is most common among women aged 18-34
Domestic victimization is correlated with a higher rate of depression and suicidal behavior
1 in 3 female murder survivors and 1 in 20 male murder survivors are killed by intimate partners
65% of all murder-suicides are perpetrated by intimate partners
94% of murder-suicide survivors are female
95% of men who physically abuse their intimate partners also psychologically abuse them
40% of female murder survivors are killed by intimate partners
76% of intimate partner physical abuse survivors are female, 24% are male
Slightly more than half of intimate partner physical abuse is reported to law enforcement
Children who witness intimate partner abuse growing up are three times as likely as their peers to engage in abusive behavior
Children raised in abusive homes learn that abuse is an appropriate way to solve conflict. These children are more likely than their peers to be in abusive intimate partner relationships in the future, either as survivors or perpetrators
Children who witness incidents of domestic abuse (a form of childhood trauma) are at greater risk of serious adult health problems including obesity, cancer, heart disease, depression, substance abuse, tobacco use and unintended pregnancies than peers who did not witness domestic abuse

Source: NCADV (National Coalition Against Domestic abuse)