President of the Dominica Arts and Craft Association, Vanessa Winston is calling on young women of society to step up and allow men take up their responsibilities because “young women cannot get pregnant without the young men.”
According to her, the responsibilities of parenthood are not only for women.
Winston was presenting the featured address at the Dominica Planned Parenthood Association’s (DPPA) 38th Annual General Meeting held at the National Development Foundation of Dominica (NDFD) conference room on Wednesday.
“We, as young women, need to step up and allow the men to take some of the responsibility because the responsibility is not ours alone … we are not the ones sitting or lying by ourselves, the young men are also there with us,” Winston said.
She pointed out that women cannot get pregnant without men and there has been a focus in society on women, since it is not the young men “carrying the baby.”
“So I think the young men, as well, need to step up and probably when these young women are going for the counseling, going for the education and the training as to the best means of contraceptive, the young men also need to walk up the step with them,” Winston noted. “Because the same way you would like to be in the bed with them, or wherever enjoying it, I think it is your responsibility just as well.”
Meanwhile, she noted that both the young men and women need to be “educated together.”
“Sometimes we need to educate them together, let them hear what we are saying to the young women about themselves, about how they are precious,” she said. “Let them hear the encouragements and compliments we are giving the young women, because basically we need them to understand that is what the young women are, not just a thing…”
Winston said sex can be “very good” but can also be a poison because after having children some women have to resort to exploiting their bodies to feed them.
“Although it can be very good and is very nice it can be a poison because you resort to having to exploit people, to exploit your body just for you to be able to feed your child,” she said. “You can become a drug mule, carry drugs for another man to get rich and because you have a child there and you don’t know what to do.”
At the AGM wards were presented to long serving members of the association.
They include Patsy Thomas, James Frederick and Nurse Althea Phillip.
Services offered at the DPPA are counseling, contraceptive delivery, pregnancy test, breast exam, PAP smear, vaginal exam, HIV counselling and testing, blood pressure check, blood sugar test, weight check and sex and sexuality education.
To who do i send a list of men in our society who has fathered kids with teenagers and did not register those kids on their names?
It takes two to tango. It takes two people to make a child. Unless raped the woman is a willing partner in the process and they too have a responsibility. My advice is do not make children if you, or your partner can not , or are not willing to look after them. It can not only be the father’s responsibility.
before anything we are quick to blame our fathers.. it’s true that some fathers don’t show any interest in their child or children but, have we taken the time out to acknowledge those dads who would do anything to care for their children? those men like women like to be praised when the child is been taken good care of.. in most cases we only praise the women and forget the men.. most times the women drives the men so far away from their children that you find that some dads fight to keep their children fully cared for while the others who don’t like drama just leave the women be with their children n neglect them..
Whatever all of you state as unprotected sex, you must consider that you are referring to children. Children should be children and should not be indulging in this. Yes, they must be educated about it, informing them they could become pregnant “if they play with fire” so-to-speak, if you know what I mean, telling them like it is..
Parents are the primary educators. The schools should also educate them to a certain extent. As for the Church, you can leave it out of this. The Church already preaches “The Word of the Lord”, The Ten Commandments of God, on morality and what is contained in Holy Scripture. Parents should learn from that and educate their children accordingly. Therefore, adult and children hear what is necessary to enable them to live a godly, moral life.
I have stated this previously that not all parents are responsible parents. Some parents themselves could have been teenaged parents. Much more could be stated about that. Who will teach the children about this matter? It is not so much about sex but self-restraint. Are they not young? Are they not children, some young teenagers? Are they not students?
This is the time they should be concentrating on their studies. Therefore parents must ensure that their children follow that path. Time flies and one day they will become adults and hopefully ready for babies. If they cannot afford to feed their children, they will find means of doing so. This creates poverty. There are some who criticize the government for financially assisting the poor. It is a government’s responsibility to assist its poor. It is also a responsibility to try to educate the youth about not throwing their bodies around as if they are old luggage and garbage and of course to eliminate poverty. How could this be done especially in this era? Educate parents and children accordingly. The government cannot always be blamed for poverty. Know this, there are some people who do not care what they become in later years.
This is a worldwide problem. Ever since most mothers commenced working out, there has been an increase of teenaged pregnancies. The parents are not home to supervise those children. Therefore, consider what could be occurring if there is not a responsible adult in the home when their teenaged children come home from school. They are free to welcome their peers. Whatever they have to do, they will do it quickly and when the parents come home they play innocent children; likewise roaming the streets while their parents are at work. Many children of today lack proper supervision and disciplined and strict parents.. This also includes TV viewing and being on the Internet.
In this era mothers are expected to work to make ends meet. Therefore, I am not insinuating that they should not work. However, ensure that your children are protected from this evil which has permeated society, children having children. They should always be supervised. This is one way of ensuring that they do not keep company with little hot-blooded boys who want to experiment on sex and then on them. In this era of TV and Internet, the situation has become worst. You know what I mean. Morality has gone down the drain even among under aged children.
As for those little boys who impregnate the girls including adult men who do likewise to their girlfriends and also wives, they should be made to bear a certain degree of responsibility as fathers. Yes! too often the responsibility is left to the mothers. I am not speaking here of giving them condoms and other means of contraceptives. These have their side effects to adulthood. They could cause cancer of the uterus and cancer of the breast.
You people who propagate contraceptives in our Christian country of Dominica, you should do some research into the use of contraceptives and the health hazards for those who use them especially for a prolonged time.
I am aware that Planned Parenthood has planted its evil works in Dominica for a long time. Well, Planned Parenthood in the US is under fire for many infractions, even promoting abortions. Read about them.
Refer to Holy Scripture about what Our Lord said about causing the little ones to sin, contaminating/tarnishing their innocence. God is taking note.
Teach the children well and protect them as much as you possibly could from this evil of the world. Satan is out for souls. You know, “Going about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour.” St. Paul told us, “Reject him!”
Therefore, contraceptives are not the be all and end all of it all to protect them from early or late pregnancies and HIV. Be godly, be holy. This is one of the changes, a very important one which should take effect in Dominica.
A lot of different churches have infiltrated Dominica saying they are going to save souls that one would think that at least the majority of people would be godly. The Christian-like attitude in Dominica is worst than it ever was and much left to be desired. What happened?
You preachers, God will hold you accountable for it appears that you have failed. You have approached Catholics and falsely indoctrinated some of them. They, in turn, foolishly listened to you and joined your churches. Overall, are they better off in godliness, in your church than they could have been in the Catholic Church? Do not answer me. Answer to God for this. He is the Judge.
We must do our utmost to keep those children as innocent as we possibly could and not fill their brains with adult matters. You should know what I mean.
I not breastfeeding… that is all I telling dem woman, poopoo diaper I can change but breastfeeding is crossing the line!
Some men ABANDON their children and when they become Doctors they cry he is my son. Take them to court so they will maintain their children.
Sex educatin should begin from the homes, followed by schools and then the church. We need to educate our kids from small,on moral issues.,once a young person is heading towards teenage hood he or she should be taught of the hygiene and protection during sex to avoid diseases in both girls and boys and pregnancies of women.. Parents be transparent with your children don’t hide we are not any more in the 50s. My son is 4 and he knows the difference between the sexes. Parents educate your girls on menstration and boys on erections / masturbation.. It happens.. and urges and how to protect them selves…. children learn what they see. It’s too late when the damage has been done due to lack of guidance and education.
Ms. Winston, I think you need to go further than that. The mothers of these young men need to start the discussion about having unprotected sex and the consequences – STIs and unwanted pregnancy.
Ultimately, the women have the most to lose and although it is nice for the men to be encouraged to “step up” as you said, it is far better for the women to protect themselves against unplanned pregnancies. They cannot rely on a man for their protection. That has to be a discussion their mothers need to have with them long before they become sexually active.
Notice I did not mention fathers in my discussion. There are too many of our men who are nothing but sperm donors. I would not even dignify some of these men as fathers. I know of some of these guys who have 4 and 5 children, all by different mothers.
Great Job Vanessa. You made me proud