Women’s Advocates Demand Action as Violence Fuels Fear

The discovery of a body believed to be that of 22-year-old Merrissa Auguste has reignited anger over violence against women in Saint Lucia, with advocates warning that outrage after another tragedy is no substitute for sustained action.

As the names of Alana Bernard, Kimberly De Leon, Joy St. Omer and now Auguste return to the national conversation, women’s rights advocates are demanding stronger protection, greater accountability and practical measures to help women safeguard themselves. “This list has been so long,” said Christa St Ange, Co-Founder of Voices Beyond Violence Saint Lucia, arguing that the country cannot continue responding intensely to individual tragedies only to allow the urgency to fade.

According to St Ange, the response must go beyond “saying let’s end violence, let’s stop this.” While each new case understandably triggers strong emotions, she said meaningful change requires sustained action and greater consideration for the families left behind. “I think we get very passionate during these moments when we hear these stories,” she said, “and I think it needs to go beyond just emotions.”

St Ange also pointed to what she described as a troubling “culture of tolerance,” arguing that perpetrators must know there will be consequences for acts of violence. “If there was a chance that these perpetrators were to be held accountable in any way when committing these acts, they wouldn’t do it,” she said.

She urged Saint Lucians to challenge violence rather than remain silent, saying society must make perpetrators “uncomfortable in the same way they continue to make us uncomfortable.”

That, she argued, must be supported by reporting mechanisms people can trust and use effectively. Speaking up for victims and witnesses, she said, could help prevent violence from remaining as prevalent as it is.

Human Rights Advocate Diane Felicien believes the conversation must also include practical ways of helping women protect themselves. “We need to start giving our women things that will protect them,” Felicien said, calling for greater discussion around personal safety devices and self-defence training.

Felicien, a former martial artist, said self-defence skills could give women another layer of protection when confronted with dangerous situations. “The women need to know how to defend themselves,” she said. “Not just to defend themselves by words, but defend themselves by action.” She also called for advocacy around access to protective devices, including pepper spray and tasers.

The renewed calls come amid heightened public concern following the discovery of the body believed to be that of Auguste.

For advocates, however, the challenge is ensuring that the urgency does not disappear when the headlines do. They say the women whose deaths have shaken Saint Lucia must become more than names remembered during moments of national grief. Their stories, advocates argue, must drive sustained pressure for accountability, effective reporting systems, stronger protection and a broader societal rejection of violence against women.

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