And while that domestic violence survivor is doing everything she can to preserve her life, 33-year-old Tracy Thompson's family is getting ready to bury her after she was murdered by her own abuser.
As you heard last week, Thompson was at home in Calcutta Village when her common-law husband, 47-year-old Devon Logan broke into her room and stabbed her multiple times. Thompson's body was found a few hours later by her cousin.
Logan attempted to flee back to Stann Creek, but was caught by police. On April 23rd, he was arrested and charged for murder.
And these screenshots of messages between her and a friend show that she was living in fear for her life. She told her friend back in October 2021 that even at home in Corozal, she didn't feel safe. She recalled an incident when he allegedly attempted to run over her with his vehicle in front of the police station and even though officers were nearby, she was still scared because she could see the anger in his face.
Another message says, quote, "I feel physically and mentally messed up, it's like I can't have a life." End quote.
Thompson's family had said that they believed earlier police intervention could have prevented her death, since she reportedly made numerous reports after suffering years of abuse.
However, the ComPol clarified today that there's only so much the police can do if the complainant chooses not to press charges.
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"When it reaches this stage where the victim have been victimised before and nothing is done, it comes back to the police, everybody say, she made complaints to the police and the police did nothing. Yes she may have made reports but the question is, what was her request/ she requested no court action and this is why I have always said to victims of domestic violence, you need to make a stop yourself. There's only so much the police can do because if it is you go to the police and say, you don't want court action then the police will not pursue it. Now if it is brought to my attention, and it's not every case of domestic violence that is brought to my attention, but once it is brought to my attention, I will say to the police, whether the victim wants or not, we will take the matter to the court and let her go to the court and withdraw the matter so that when things like this happen we can say yes, she came, we took the matter to the court and she went to the court and withdrew the matter. And with that we wash our hands."
"When you are being abused by your spouse, particularly women who are being abused, you cannot sit back and allow your abuser to continue busing you. It will eventually turn out to you being buried. There is a commercial, I used to love this commercial, I don't see it anymore, "He brought me flowers today." Yes the man beat up the woman and next day bring her flower sand she's happy, eventually the flowers will go to her gravel. We have to, at some point, take a stand and say enough is enough and women need to make that stand. Yes, you might feel there is no way out and certainly there is a way out. We have many organisations in Belize that are willing to assist women who are victims of domestic violence and we need to ensure that we use every avenue."
Thompson had reportedly been living with Logan in Placencia, but moved to Calcutta with her children to escape the abuse.
