Senators united yesterday in a call for residents to take a stand against domestic violence.

Lindsay Simmons, the Junior Minister of Home Affairs, was backed by both sides of the Upper House after she urged the island’s men to speak out on the issue.

Ms Simmons said: “So many times we hear about survivors’ stories.

“But we hardly hear from our men — we need men to stand up and say ‘enough is enough’.

“If you see somebody that you know is abusing, whether it is physical or financial, stand up and let them know that it is not right.”

Ms Simmons recalled attending a domestic violence forum last week, along with a passionate speech on the subject by Jason Hayward, the economy and labour minister, in the House of Assembly on Friday.

Mr Hayward called on fellow legislators to ensure stringent laws were in place to stamp out domestic violence and sexual abuse.

Ms Simmons said: “We need more men that stand up like Minister Hayward and say we are not going to allow our men to continue this abuse on women.”

The government senator in the past has detailed her ordeal of physical and sexual abuse.

In the Upper House yesterday, she thanked her father for supporting her.

She said: “I pray that more men will stand up for more women like me, that could not stand up for ourselves at the time.”

Kim Wilkerson, the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, supported Ms Simmons’s call.

She noted it was Day 10 of 16 days of activism organised by the United Nations for the elimination of violence against women and girls.

She said: “There should be no excuse to allow domestic violence, violence against women and girls to continue in the way that it has.”

Ms Wilkerson said the community should heed the UN’s campaign and added that the Government planned to enact legislation addressing domestic violence.

She said it included laws to hold perpetrators more accountable and steps to establish a domestic abuse court.

Ms Wilkerson added that the Government intended to adopt the UN’s stance on violence against women and girls.

She said: “Such plans should be definitive policies and which also invest in decisions that make a difference.

“Government resources have to be brought to bear to bring this into fruition.”

Ms Wilkerson called on residents to report instances of domestic violence.

Opposition senator Dwayne Robinson said: “We need to have zero tolerance for domestic violence.

“We need to have zero tolerance for violence in all forms especially against our women and children.”

Mr Robinson commended Mr Hayward for highlighting the issue last week and noted that the minister’s call came at a crucial time.

He said the issue of substance abuse should also go under the spotlight.

He added: “I believe that if we drill down on a lot of these cases, alcoholism and substance abuse, we will find domestic abusers and violent offenders.”

Independent senator John Wight said he was fortunate to have been raised in a family with “great respect” for women and children.

He said: “To see so many cases of abuse in Bermuda is troubling to everybody.

“As a male, I just want to thank all the females and my senator colleagues who spoke on this very important issue.”

Opposition Senate leader Robin Tucker said that while the topic was women as victims of domestic abuse, men were also abused.

She said the community has been conditioned to see women as the victims of abuse, but she noted that people may “unintentionally” discount men.

Government senator Arianna Hodgson said abuse “affects people of all ages, of all backgrounds”.

She urged residents to remind themselves that abuse should never be justified.

Owen Darrell, the Government Leader in the Senate, hoped that the issue would remain on the front burner after the UN’s 16 days of activism.

He said: “We remember this and we continue to push forward with remembering the horrible topic, which is domestic violence.”

The Senate president, Joan Dillas-Wright, said she has seen more reports of domestic violence in recent times and urged victims to report instances of abuse.

She said: “The word needs to get out there that there is nothing to be embarrassed or be ashamed about.

“You need to come forward — let somebody know because there are people who can help you.”