There is reportedly an outbreak of gender-based violence in the Caribbean, an issue that the Business and Professional Women of Dominica (BPW) say must be addressed.
On Thursday, the BPW’s President Rhoda St. John addressed a Meet and Greet ceremony where she discussed these concerns among others.
“It is heartbreaking when you see what men are doing to women and even what women are doing to men. Men are silent when women abuse them, but women do abuse men and it is wrong,” she said.
St John said regardless of the form of abuse, it is wrong.
“Whether it is verbal abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, all forms of abuse is wrong and sometimes verbal abuse is even worse than physical abuse, because it leads you to depression, It leads you to commit suicide, it leads you to isolation and so much more,” she added.
The BPW she said will seek to tackle abuse in various sectors this year and already, relations with stakeholders in Dominica are being fostered.
In the meantime, she reiterated calls for the implementation of a Sex Offenders Registry in Dominica.
A Sex Offenders Registry is a system in various countries designed to allow government authorities to keep track of the activities of sex offenders, including those who have completed their criminal sentences.
She said the BPW will be working alongside the Dominica Bar Association to ensure that it is done.
St. John said the aim is to make a list which will be made public in order to create awareness of the perpetrators in the various Caribbean countries.
At the moment, sex offender registries exist in two English-speaking Caribbean countries, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.
she making it sound like is Zika or the Wuhan disease or something. an outbreak? Man have always been beating woman in the caribbean. Women have always been beating and belittling man. Nothing new. Is not no outbreak.
I self want to know what constitutes an outbreak. If all of a sudden a set of abusers and abusees were suddenly let go and they just start giving and taking blows? or if there is something in the air that is compelling violence amongst the genders almost suddenly.
We need to choose our words carefully when trying to have impact and effect.
Tired lie there, there is no outbreak in gender based violence. Quit creating naratives to distract people from real things thats actually going on.
It did wane somewhat, but BPW must be commended on this most important issue. Our people suffer from Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome (PTSS), this subject have, and is being discuss presently in all its forms, a tremendous observation by our Africans of higher Learning. Our Men/Women don’t see each other for what and who they really are, the education system we inherited from Slavery have not make it better. A People without a Culture are a lostPeople, Generation to Regeneration most have remain the same, presently materialism is centerstage, with it comes all the Immoralities, a Major concern for all. Our People were never taught how to be Respective to each other, Emotion, not Love, brings them together, Passion takes over, then Anger is added, and Hate is the end Zone. Love is not so Lovely when Emotional Hearts starts to Implode,leaving some “Beh Beh” for a very long time,until awakened Spiritually.