Woman Run Over by Car in Domestic Dispute

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – After a woman was struck by a car in what police are saying was a domestic dispute, the Crisis Center is renewing its plea for victims to come forward for help.

Jillian Gray has that.

That plea from police for people to calmly resolve domestic disputes comes after a woman was beaten and ran over on Key West Street yesterday.

The man then hit a truck parked on the side of the road and when he tried to escape neighbors restrained him until police arrived. The woman who was taken to hospital is listed as stable.

This video circulated purporting to be that of the incident has caused widespread outrage.

According to police crime statistics, domestic reports increased by 84 percent in 2021 and assault was up by 87 percent.

Startling statistics according to the founder of the Crisis Center Sandra Dean Patterson who says she hopes seeing the video encourages people to take action when they see these acts.

“Whether it’s because you think what happens in a household is private and we don’t talk about it or whether of the tolerance that we have and the acceptance we have for intimate partner violence or family violence, hopefully this can bring a stop, the visible sight of this has to make people realize you can’t have this happening in our country,” says Patterson.

Finding proper safe houses for domestic violence victims is often difficult and that’s why Patterson says a public-private partnership is needed to help build more of those homes.