Jamaica likes to portray itself as a tropical paradise – its sunshine and laid-back atmosphere attracting millions of tourists every year. But behind this idyllic picture lies a more sinister truth: this is a nation where child sex abuse is endemic.
According to the Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition, 40% of Jamaicans say that their first experience of sexual contact was forced and while still under the age of consent. More often than not, the perpetrator was someone close to home: a family member, teacher, community or religious leader.
Earlier this year, the Jamaican government launched “Breaking Silence,” an awareness campaign encouraging victims to come forward. It has been heralded as an important step in combating the cycle of abuse. But, human rights groups say that taboos about reporting incest, rape and the abuse of power by older men are so entrenched that thousands of young Jamaican girls still continue to suffer in silence.
In a society where women are by and large still dependent on men for financial support, poverty and lack of employment opportunities are also driving sexual exploitation of teenage girls; sometimes their parents are even complicit, seeing sex as a legitimate way for a young girl to earn her keep.
Earlier this year, People & Power travelled the country in the company of a survivor, Jamaican writer and advocate Julie Mansfield, as she met with victims, government officials and law enforcement officers in a bid to raise awareness about this issue and achieve greater protections for the island’s children.
Where appropriate, parental consent was obtained for interviews with minors in this programme.
For legal and privacy reasons some identities have been obscured.
I’m watching this on Aljazeera tv right now. Oh god man! The molestation and poverty is on high…
HoneyB what are you watching?
PP
“People and Power” Jamaica’s silent children. I’m going to send the like to Met-trying to find it.
You’re awake! 😀 lol THANKS!
I’m going to see if I can watch it from one of the online tv sources until the link come here. Again THANKS.
Yes PP am a night owl….Winter is coming. Fu..ck my diet…I’m and here surfing the net and indulging on my favorite snack Cheetos crunches….
I just watched the video. Im happy and so sad at the same time..happy they are talking about what we have been talking about ………Lisa Hanna was not in it…the system has failed the children
Dang HB I’m dying to know what you watching so I can go watch it too!
This article complements the one sent in two parts the other day.
I don’t know what your talking about neither :ngakak I’ve not seen that article you talking about.
40% of a society being sexually abused is a sick society.. a doe see nobody comment outa shock…also, which breaking the silence campaign was ran ..only yasso mi see it
Met, you notice a pure 40%/60% Jamaica get in when dem conduct researches?
Me ago say 75% with the standard 3-/+ margin of error. I raise it that high due to the strong christian connection because children in those households are abuse in silence big time.
Some family so holy that all the pig, dog and puss holy to.
pp mi bus a laugh u seh 75 and u know it may be right
From the mental illness post that did the 40/60 findings I’ve notice the pattern. And if so be the case the studies flaw till dem can’t flaw no more and bias pon many levels.
PP
unless the studies were not diverse…dat would be the only way the numbers stay di same for everything
Met, while watching the program, I saw Agent Sasco, and a few other media personality featured in the ad campaign. Maybe the media didn’t put too much interest into it, in order for it to be promoted the right way. There was a see in the program where a police officer was interviewing a young girl who’s mother said she had been molested man;I had to smh at how he was conducting the interview like it was a joke. I’m trying to find the link to send you.
Yes please
Met i sent the video link to the article. Hopefully after you watch it, you displayed for a few day.
Glad you watch the video. Met what are your thoughts on the officer who administer the interview with the girl who was molested my the older man? I didn’t like the comment he gave as to why the child was sleeping with the older man. Its like hes’ saying, it’s not the man fault, she’s following her friends so that justify the older man having sex with her.
I was just talking about him..How dare they have a man interview her in the first place..he had no emotion no care nothing…as a matter of a fact he was smiling
Yeeeeeess! He was smiling like it’s joke.I heard a caller on Power 106fm a while back talking about said topic, and how the officer ran the victim out of the station and tell her she’s lying on the man.It’s officers like this one why many women do not report assaults