Stalking, financial and physical abuse very prevalent in BVI

Stalking, financial exploitation and physical violence are among the forms of domestic abuse frequently encountered in the BVI, according to local law enforcement and social services officials.

Speaking on the government’s Health Byte programme, Detective Tresan Sharpe of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Family & Juvenile Unit said physical and emotional abuse feature prominently in cases she has handled.

Social worker Glenda Maduro echoed those concerns, highlighting financial abuse, particularly involving expatriates who may lack strong family support in the territory.

“We also have some stalking, damaging of property. Some of them go so far as to say, ‘I’m coming by your job’ – making you lose your job because of the outburst that they may have,” Maduro explained, adding that psychological and sexual abuse are also reported.

She warned that some victims fail to recognise sexual violence within marriage as abuse.

“Some people would think that, okay, because I’m in your marriage, rape is not considered as part of it. But there is something called marital rape,” Maduro stated.

Both officials identified excessive jealousy, possessiveness and controlling behaviour as warning signs of abusive relationships. Sharpe explained that abusers sometimes disguise controlling behaviour as concern, initially requesting passwords or attempting to dictate their partners’ friendships.

“In a lot of cases the abuser tries to put it off as concern,” Sharpe said, explaining that such behaviour can gradually escalate.

Maduro described how abusers sometimes confiscate passports, control bank accounts or withhold financial cards, leaving victims dependent and isolated.

“They might hold your passport hostage. They may want access in terms of your financial account,” she explained.

Maduro said victims can become trapped, particularly when they have already been isolated from relatives and other support networks.

The warnings come amid longstanding concerns about domestic violence in the BVI, where authorities have repeatedly encouraged victims to report abuse. Police statistics previously highlighted the scale of the problem, with domestic-related offences increasing from 349 in 2024 to 398 in 2025.