Family Centre leads campaign against gender violence
(CNS): The Department of Counselling Services’ Family Resource Centre has begun its annual 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence campaign, which runs until 10 December, and is calling on people to take part in the Clothesline Project this Wednesday. Health Minister Dwayne Seymour noted that domestic violence spikes in December and the campaign raised awareness of violent crime. Under the theme, “Together we can end gender-based violence in education”, the aim is to build awareness and allow survivors to bear silent witness.
The Clothesline Project offers the opportunity to publicly air the issue of violence in homes and communities. It brings together survivors of all forms of violence or supporters to design t-shirts as a testament to their experience. Recognising that males may also be victims of violence, as witnesses or victims and as children or adults, their participation is also welcomed.
At the start of the campaign, the clotheslines were displayed at the Health Services Authority Women’s Health Centre and at the George Town Post Office. Now they will be exhibited at other district health centres across Grand Cayman until the end of the observance.
The initiative, which has been emulated across the world, is viewed as an effective educational and healing tool.
“The concept works on many levels,” said FRC’s Acting Programmes Coordinator Charmaine Miller. “Survivors of gender-based violence can decorate the t-shirt with words and images that relate to their personal experience of such crimes. They can also use it to come to terms with pent up feelings concerning the crime.
At the same time observers learn more about the ramifications of gender-based violence by looking at the t-shirts. In this manner all concerned can move forward and be better informed about the psychological toll of such crimes.”
Tying in with the displays, the Family Resource Centre will hold a resource session at its offices on North Sound Way on Wednesday, 6 December, 6:00pm to 7.30pm. The session will be for the public to learn more about the resources available to domestic violence survivors. It will be held in partnership with local family welfare agencies including the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH), the Department of Children and Family Services, and the Cayman Islands Crisis Centre.
Category: Crime, Crime Prevention, Local News
What about men, women cat whistle at me every day, grab my ass and wedding tackle. It is so frustrating being a man in 2017
You want to be a man , I wish women would do any kind of whistle at me an that would make me feel like a wanted and needed man .
When will the RCIPS and ODPP stop ignoring the repeated reports made against Women? “Recognising that males may also be victims of violence, as witnesses or victims and as children or adults, their participation is also welcomed” – Why would men voluntarily offer to come forward to reveal they are victims, when they will face public scrutiny and be ignored by the authorities? All academic research on this topic have revealed that in Western countries women make up the vast # of abusers in domestic violence, but are rarely prosecuted.
Signed – Male victim of violence and ignored by the RCIPS and ODPP. My abuser is still on the loose and victimizing me on a regular basis.
Honestly Anonymous 1:32… When are the RCIPS and ODPP going to stop ignoring domestic abuse crimes in GENERAL….From personal experience, ( not my own but that of a family member) There have been dozens of calls dozens of reports…..Yet no help… We’re told it’s a civil matter….How did a criminal act of Physical abuse ( not discounting verbal and emotional abuse) Stalking, Defamation, Slander, Threats ( definitely Death Threats too) Become a civil manner.. Last i checked they were all criminal… Another excuse used is that … it doesn’t make sense because they just go back to their abuser.. Some people don’t have the financial, emotional help to get away from them.. some people require enough support to be able to get out on their own. Where children are used as pawns, where the abuser have their friends keeping an eye on you. And to add insult to injury, i’ve seen too many walk because they spun some sob story about their past and why they used and continue to use the victim as a punching bag for their problems…. Instead of T-shirts.. we shoud be hanging pictures of victims faces and bodies to show what was the result of their abuse.. and add in quotes what they were told by their abusers…
Endorsed!