National

Activist Calls On Government To Do More To Protect Women And Children

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Following a deadly shooting that killed a woman and critically injured a child, Rise Bahamas is demanding urgent preventative action to protect children and address the root causes of gun and gender-based violence.

Published

6 months ago

June 30, 2025

Delvardo Emmanuel

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – A tragic shooting in the Wulff Road area has claimed the life of a woman and left a child fighting for survival, prompting widespread outrage and renewed calls for urgent intervention.

The violence, which erupted in a community setting and caught innocent bystanders in the crossfire, has reignited national concern about the safety of children and families across the country.

Rise Bahamas, a group known for advocating for the rights of women and children, is demanding swift action in response to the latest act of gun violence. Founder Terneille Burrows says the incident is a grim reminder that more must be done to protect the most vulnerable in society.

“Every child, every life that we lose, uh, that is injured or experiences trauma, we care about and we value. Um, we know that for a number of years there have been cases of crimes where people, well, particularly children, are in the line of fire and they get injured and some of them have passed away.”

Burrows also highlighted the ongoing crisis of gender-based violence, stressing that targeted solutions are urgently needed to address its root causes.

“When it comes to certain types of crimes, women are more susceptible, rape and things of that nature, heinous things. But in terms of crimes against women, we, we have something called gender-based violence. And if, again, if we don’t reach it, um, at the root, it’ll never be solved. So we definitely needed to look at programs, look at incentives. Similar, similar to the gun amnesty, similar to um, uh, agencies that do counseling, uh, intervention shelters and try to reach people where they are.”

The activist called on government leaders to shift their focus from reaction to prevention, arguing that peace-building initiatives have long been neglected.

“We haven’t been focused on prevention, I think for a number of years, decades, and perhaps I haven’t seen, uh, government officials come out with any impressive plan to promote peace and discourage crime.”

Burrows added that the public also deserves transparency about previous crime reduction efforts, like gun amnesty programs, and their results.

“I’m sure the government has done before. The public needs to be made aware of what the results were from that amnesty program so we could see how effective it is. Uh, and you know, there’s only so much the police can do. We always say it’s about prevention, detection, and enforcement. The police is the third phase. How do we encourage citizens and people who live in The Bahamas to bring forward information that might assist the police?”

As the country mourns yet another tragic loss, Burrows and Rise Bahamas are urging collective responsibility and greater community involvement in creating safer spaces for women and children.