Abuse survivor urges victims: Rewrite your narrative!

A domestic abuse survivor is urging victims not to remain silent, sharing how the violence affected both her and her children.

Speaking on the Talking Points radio programme recently, Mrs BVI 2024 Rhonda Victor Pinnock shared her experience of leaving an abusive marriage and called on victims to “rewrite your narrative”, even as the territory continues to grapple with rising reports of assault.

Victor Pinnock said she chose domestic and gender-based violence as her public platform because she wanted to speak from lived experience. “Being a survivor of domestic violence myself… I said, ‘Why not speak about something that affected me?’” she explained.

She described how the abuse escalated after more than a decade of marriage. “It was so serious that I went to the police and I said, ‘Hey, it’s either he’s gonna kill me, or I’m gonna kill him, y’all need to do something,’” she said. She added that her children were silently suffering. “My eldest daughter said, Mommy, you know, I never slept for days… because I didn’t know what would have happened when he came home,” she noted.

Data from the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force shared during the programme showed 90 serious assaults reported in October 2025 and 296 minor assaults, with overall assault cases up 33% compared to the previous five-year period. Continued concern has come from advocacy groups about the growing number of domestic violence cases and the need for stronger support systems in the territory.

Victor Pinnock said victims must be able to exit safely and rely on community and official support networks. She said she often directs people to “different organisations or NPOs or even the government agencies, even the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force” for assistance.

She also called for stronger legal protections. She reported that a restraining order she had sought was not enforced. “He still was coming to the home… I reported it, but he wasn’t placed in jail,” she said, urging improvements to “reinforce that restraining order legislation”.

Reflecting on her recovery, Victor Pinnock said rebuilding confidence and independence was critical. “Make the ending of your story… the ending you want it to be… rewrite your narrative”, she urged. She encouraged victims to “forgive yourselves… come out being victorious… light your candle again,” she insisted.

Victor Pinnock is participating in activities marking the international 16 Days of Activism campaign. She said she plans to host a public discussion titled Life After Domestic Violence on December 10 with a police officer and psychotherapist. “We’ll be discussing how it affects us… psychologically, on a legal standpoint,” she stated.

The abuse survivor appealed for greater openness and more support across the territory. “The community needs to support instead of talking about it and demeaning the person… let’s be supportive and not judge,” she urged.