Police Unit Overhauled to Tackle All Forms of Gender-Based Violence

As reported previously, the Belize Police Department underwent an overhaul of its approach to gender-based violence at the start of 2025. The Domestic Violence Unit is now the Gender-Based Violence Response and Investigative Unit (GVRIU).

Today, Commissioner of Police Chester Williams pointed out that this comes as an effort to be a more inclusive unit. “We must look beyond the home and address all forms of gender violence,” Williams said.

ComPol Williams added that officers can look forward to more training to properly handle these cases. Williams said, “There certainly is going to be a need for more training for the officers who work within the unit. And not just those officers, but every police officer as well. So they can understand the dynamism of gender-based violence.”

The unit will now focus on addressing sexual violence, human trafficking, and other gender-based abuses.

Earlier this week, Minister of Human Development Dolores Balderamos-Garcia supported the change, stating that the term “gender-based violence” covers a wider range of abuses, including workplace harassment and street violence, rather than being confined to the home. She added, “Gender-based violence cuts right across the board.”