Reinforce Laws to Protect Victims
Mrs BVI 2024 and WIN BVI Ambassador Rhonda R. Victor-Pinnock has urged stronger enforcement of restraining order laws after sharing her own experience as a domestic violence survivor. Speaking on ZBVI 780 AM, she called for legal reinforcement, greater public education on all forms of gender-based violence, and stronger community support for victims.
Victor-Pinnock, Mrs BVI 2024 and WIN BVI Ambassador, says laws designed to protect victims of domestic and gender-based violence must be reinforced so survivors can feel safe. Speaking on ZBVI 780 AM on Monday, December 1, 2025, Victor-Pinnock recounted obtaining a restraining order during an abusive relationship only to have the order ignored and the perpetrator continue to come to her home. "I got a restraining order before we actually ended, and he still was coming to the home, still had access to me.
I called and reported it, but he wasn’t placed in jail," she said, adding that legislation and its enforcement need strengthening so "persons can be protected and feel safe." Victor-Pinnock used her platform to broaden the conversation about gender-based violence, noting it is not limited to physical assault.
She highlighted verbal, emotional and financial abuse as forms of violence that often go unrecognized or are accepted because they are viewed as "normal" within cultural expectations of men’s and women’s roles. Education is, she said, the first step in dismantling acceptance of abuse. "Number one is education, because gender-based violence is not just physical," Victor-Pinnock said.
She urged residents to pursue financial independence—opening personal bank accounts and developing escape plans—as practical measures that can help victims leave abusive situations safely. Community response also featured in her remarks. Victor-Pinnock called on neighbours, friends and family to support victims rather than stigmatise or mock them. "The community needs to support instead of talking about it, demeaning the person and making fun of that person [victim] and being judgmental even," she said.
Her comments come amid ongoing local conversations about how best to protect survivors, improve police response and ensure that protection orders are effective. For those affected, reporting incidents to the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force and seeking advice from local support organisations remain immediate options.
Victor-Pinnock’s message stresses a combined approach: law enforcement and legal safeguards that work in practice, public education to shift cultural norms, and a community that rallies behind survivors. As debates continue over policy and resources, Victor-Pinnock’s testimony underscores the lived reality behind statistics and the need for concrete steps to make protection orders meaningful in the Virgin Islands.
Primary source: VINO