When Dr Kamane Soman finally decided to walk away from an abusive marriage eight years ago, it was the best decision she could have ever made for her life.

For Soman, 45, it was not just about escaping the abuse but reclaiming her independence and self-worth.

Today, through her work as founder and president of People Against Domestic Abuse (PADA), which she established in 2016, Soman is on a crusade to help other abuse victims do the same.

But her mission, she quickly learnt, is a lot easier said than done. Tobago, which she has called home for more than two decades, is especially challenging.

Cultural stereotypes, fears of not being supported financially by a spouse/partner and concerns about the well-being of their children have caused many women to accept abuse in its various manifestations, she observed.

And while she does not currently have the data on the extent to which women are being affected by abuse in Tobago, Soman said based on her interactions with victims over the years and the reports the organisation continues to receive, domestic abuse appears to be a grave problem on the island.

But PADA’s work extends way beyond support for the women who are often the victims of physical, emotional and emotional abuse. The organisation, as far as possible, also counsels men and couples, depending on the severity of the situation.

Soman said identifying the warning signs of potential abuse is vitally important.

“We need to educate our women and men, young boys and girls about the signs of abuse early,” she told WMN.

“We need to educate them so they could see and recognise the signs of emotional abuse, verbal abuse and financial abuse and what to do when it's spotted and seek the help so that they and their partners can be counselled.”

Owing to the Government’s restrictions to stop the spread of covid19, Soman observed that domestic abuse in Tobago has escalated during the pandemic.

[caption id="attachment_919442" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Randolph Bharatt, front, father of murder victim Andrea Bharatt, with founder of People Against Domestic Abuse Dr Kamane Soman, centre, Candlelight Movement PRO Kandace Bharath and supporters at a petition-signing againt violence against women at Port Mall, Scarborough on March 11, 2021. - FILE PHOTO/DAVID REID[/caption]

“The pandemic has affected us all in a lot of ways, especially people already facing domestic abuse in their homes. We saw a lot of job loss, decreased incomes.”

She said the loss of jobs and earnings in some households placed an additional burden on couples who were already experiencing problems in their relationships.

Soman said some couples do not even know how to relate to each other and discuss issues rationally.

“This posed a challenge because everyone was at home, sharing the same space. The women also had to cook more and clean up as people were constantly around.”

She said some couples with children also had to cope with the challenges in executing the online curriculum.

During the pandemic, Soman said PADA also