Awareness of domestic violence issues in Bermuda has grown over the last couple of years, but there is still much work to be done, said Women's Resource Centre executive director Penny Dill as she prepared to step down from her position.

After five years in the post, and 15 years working with the Women's Centre, Ms Dill is handing over the executive directorship to Kathy Harriott, clinical supervisor at the Women's Resource Centre.

The Women's Resource Centre's aim is to reduce the incidence and adverse effects of sexual and domestic violence in Bermuda. It started in 1987 as the Rape Crisis Centre, but changed its name in 1992 to reflect its expanding role. It now includes a counselling programme, a 24-hour crisis hotline and community education programmes. In 1994 it started the Court Advocate Programme to provide protection through the courts to victims of domestic violence.

"In Bermuda, there is a tendency to recognise an organisation by the person who is out there making statements to the press and is their figurehead, rather than the people who are working behind the scenes," said Ms Dill. "It has been part of my decision that I will step down as executive director within two years, because I think it is important to have people with a fresh outlook."

She plans to take a brief break from the Women's Resource Centre while she de-stresses and takes courses, but she admitted that the interests of the Women's Resource Centre will always be in the back of her mind. She plans to come back to the Women's Resource Centre as a volunteer.

"The Women's Resource Centre has always been my passion and I put a lot of time into it," Ms Dill said. "I have always wanted to go back to the volunteer role. I was never comfortable in a paid position. I will be enjoying less stress and worry, but at the same time at the back of my mind my concerns for the Women's Resource Centre will always be there."

She first became involved as a crisis hotline worker, and has fielded many calls from women in crisis women who have been raped, physically abused, stalked, or who are living in violent home-situations.

"It has been very rewarding," she said. "In some cases, people just need to vent. A couple of times people have said 'thank you just for listening and being there'. Sometimes, people who call are not necessarily looking for you to do anything, but just need to have someone there who can understand what they are going through."

She received training in 1991, and then became fundraising chair, then chair of the board, and then executive director.

Over the years she has been a tireless advocate for greater community awareness of domestic violence, and also for improvements in domestic violence legislation in Bermuda.

"Legislation as it stands today does provide protection for women through the courts," she said. "However, there is still a tremendous amount of flexibility with sentencing and breaching protection orders, which does give us cause for concern. With Bermuda being such a small community, we have to ensure that a protection order is enforced. If the penalties for breaking that protection order are light, then we are basically saying that the piece of paper is ineffective, so that is one of our concerns."

The Women's Resource Centre has recently been focusing on empowering women in the community, starting with teenagers still in school.

0The organisation wants women to recognise their own self-worth, because confident, self-assured women are less likely to get themselves into violent, abusive relationships.

"Unfortunately, there are many young girls in the community who date men who are incarcerated for violent crimes," she said. "You wonder why they are wasting their time with some of these guys. But there is a feeling of empowerment, without realising the risks that they are putting themselves into. It is sort of like having a status symbol for some young women to say they are going out with some bad guy. I think the only way we can combat that is to give women a better sense of empowerment, but that starts at a young age."

The Women's Resource Centre now works with school counsellors, and goes into the schools to talk to teenage girls and boys about dating and appropriate behaviour.

"There are some men that target young women, girls that are still in high school, 14 years of age, for example," she said. "These girls are infatuated with the fact that someone is giving them the attention that they don't have. The older man is attractive because he is able to buy them things that they wouldn't normally be able to afford. That is how the relationship usually starts."

She said domestic violence and violence against women in general is a major social problem in Bermuda.

"It is something that is never going to stop, unfortunately," she said. "It could. Bermuda is a small place and we have to learn to deal with our social problems."

Ms Dill urged the Government and community to look to local charities as a resource when making decisions about how to solve Bermuda's social ills.

She also said ordinary people could help either by volunteering their time or their money. A shortage of funds is a major problem for most charities on the island. The Women's Resource Centre receives a Government Grant of $60,000 per year toward their budget of $345,000.

The remaining monies are acquired through fundraising, corporate donations, memberships and a small amount from fee for service. They are a locally funded organisation are very much dependent to community giving.

The organisation has grown a great deal since Ms Dill first joined. In 2004 they reached a milestone when they became accredited, and they will be reaccredited for 2008.

"We have changed and used our resources as best we can," Ms Dill said. "Our resources are dependent on our finances. That for us is the greatest obstacle in our growth because we are limited in our resources. But I think we do a good job with what we have. Our reputation is well known and we are highly thought of in the community."

Ms Dill works at XL Insurance Bermuda Ltd. in the investor relations department, and also with Corporate Social Responsibility which deals with charitable giving. She said she enjoys both areas of her working life.

"The Corporate Social Responsibility fits very well with my background and experience working for a charity," she said.

"The volunteering has given me a huge amount of experience. Being the executive director of the Women's Resource Centre has allowed me to meet some wonderful people and make some long term friends. I would encourage anyone to be involved as a volunteer and let it help you grow in your personal life."

She is concerned by a looming shortage of staff and volunteers in the charitable sector both in Bermuda and the United States.

"In order to be involved at the executive director level, you have to have a passion for the charity that you are looking to work for," she said. "You have to understand the difficulties that they face. It is not a nine-to-five job. It is very hard and very demanding. You have to be very resourceful."

She said there is a high rate of burn-out for people who work in the domestic-violence arena. She felt it was important that staff and volunteers get proper counselling and support.

"That is something I have been able to do is provide support through an outside party to give them self-development and have someone that they can themselves debrief or get rid of their frustrations and concerns," she said. "They are dealing with a very demanding work load with very serious problems. They see the same situations day in and day out. They therefore need a place where they can wind down to avoid burn-out."

For more information about the Women's Resource Centre telephone 295-3882. For the crisis hotline, telephone 295-7273.