I am tired. Tired of having to defend my right as a woman to walk the streets and feel safe. I’m tired of reading and hearing “What was she wearing/doing?” when a woman is assaulted or killed. I’m tired of hearing “well she look for it” and “what you did expect?” I am tired of … Continue reading
Filed under Women’s Issues …
Children’s Ark raises awareness of human trafficking (January 31, 2016)
Human trafficking, or trafficking in persons, as it is known in T&T continues to be a serious problem. Reports of persons being held in raids, whether as victims or traffickers, are fairly regular, but there are no definite statistics. In its 2015 Trafficking in Persons Report, the United States Department of State’s Office to Monitor … Continue reading
Implement measures against Domestic Violence (January 24, 2016)
Chairman of the Equal Opportunities Commission, Lynette Seebaran-Suite, says there are several measures which need to be put into place to optimize the response to domestic violence (DV) in T&T. She said these measures are needed even though T&T already displays a mature response to DV, in that the topic is discussed on a national … Continue reading
Frightening Domestic Violence Numbers in T&T (January 17, 2016)
Over 60% of women murdered in T&T are killed by their intimate partners. These alarming statistics are for the 10 year period 2004 to 2013 and come from the TTPS Crime and Problem Analysis Unit. There were 382 women murdered over the period, of which 259 were from domestic violence, and 20 of these cases … Continue reading
Men and Domestic Violence (December 6, 2015)
Traditionally, the methods of dealing with domestic/intimate partner violence have involved helping the person being abused, male or female, to leave the relationship and find a safe space elsewhere. Currently, professionals in the field are focusing on reaching out to the perpetrators of the violence, who are usually, but not always, the men. Counselor and … Continue reading
16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence (November 29, 2015)
UN Women is currently globally celebrating 16 Days of Violence Activism against Gender Based Violence, which began on November 25 (International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women) and ends on December 10, 2015 (International Human Rights Day). Here in T&T, some events celebrating the 16 Days of Activism will be carried out by … Continue reading
Why do women stay in violent relationships?(November 22, 2015)
With the recent rise in controversial and heartbreaking cases of domestic violence, the common question has again risen of how women get into these situations and why they stay. Counselor and social activist, Marcus Kissoon said in many cases, psychologists and social workers would say these women may have grown up being abused and so … Continue reading
Young designer wins anti-GBV design competition (November 22, 2015)
Population Services International (PSI) Caribbean is one of the many NGO’s fighting Gender-based violence (GBV) on the ground in T&T through its campaign “Make It Stop,” in conjunction with the Indrani’s Light Foundation, which works toward global solutions for gender violence. The NGO focuses on filling the gap of youth engagement and recently hosted a … Continue reading
The GT Project – Empowering Young Girls to Talk Sex (November 15, 2015)
Getting young people talking about issues affecting them, including sexual and reproductive health and gender-based violence, is increasingly important, in order for attitudes to change. One such project was recently carried out by the non-governmental organization (NGO) Community Action Resource (CARe) at the St. Jude’s School for Girls. The program, titled The GT Project, aimed … Continue reading
Navigating Indianness in the Caribbean (November 15, 2015)
Indo-Caribbean Feminisms: A Literary Evening on November 6 showcased the work of Indo-Caribbean writers navigating their experience of Indianness. The event was hosted by the Institute of Gender and Development Studies following its two-day symposium on Indo-Caribbean Feminist Thought. Guardian columnist Aurora Herrara shared her story of discovering her Indian heritage in her 20’s, as … Continue reading