Panton: We must face truths about violence

| 29/11/2022 | 41 Comments

(CNS): Last Friday was the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, which launched the global 16 Days of Activism. In his statement to mark the event, Premier Wayne Panton said the community is being challenged to confront some uncomfortable truths about what is taking place within Cayman’s homes, institutions and the country, saying these were “truths that we must confront if there is to be a change for the better”. He added, “Ending violence against women is everyone’s business, and I encourage every one of us to learn more about the ways that we can each make a difference in our community.”

The annual campaign, coordinated locally by the Gender Affairs Unit, started in 1991 to raise awareness and combat all forms of violence against women and girls. Gender-based violence (GBV) is any act of sexual, physical, psychological, mental, economic or emotional abuse that is perpetrated against individuals based on socially ascribed differences between men and women.

“Under this umbrella, domestic violence remains a serious issue which warrants attention and resources, but it is also vital that we recognise other forms of abuse happening within our society,” Panton said in his message about the campaign.

Global statistics suggest that as many as one in three women have had to face some kind of gender violence, and a woman or girl is killed by someone in their family every eleven minutes.

Women and girls are disproportionately affected, but men, boys and the LGBTQ+ community are also targets of gender-based violence resulting from the perceived power imbalances within the norms of masculinity and femininity. Global statistics indicate that one in seven men are affected by GBV. But the premier warned that statistics can obscure reality.

“Global statistics have their purpose, but far too often we look to these as a reason to pat ourselves on the back because things here at home aren’t ‘as bad’ as other places, forgetting that we have our own challenges, inequalities and violence with which to contend,” the premier said.

Panton also offered his support to the many local entities that have done incredible work over the years to raise awareness and educate our community on the impacts of gender-based violence.

“The Family Resource Centre (formerly the Women’s Resource Centre), along with the Cayman Islands Crisis Centre, the Gender Affairs Unit, and the Alliance to End Domestic Violence, have been leaders in addressing domestic violence in our community,” he said.

“Similarly, civic groups and organisations, such as Gender Equality Cayman, the Business and Professional Women’s Club, and the Lions Club of Tropical Gardens, are to be commended for the work they do to protect the rights of women and other vulnerable groups. All of these entities work together to provide assistance and support services to survivors and their families, and mechanisms to ensure violent perpetrators are held accountable,” he added.


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Comments (41)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    Talk is cheap Mr. Premier, god forbid some infamous politicians get punished for setting a bad example. What do you expect to happen when our leaders get away with exactly what you’re blah blah blahing about?

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  2. Anonymous says:

    Men are scre&@d here.
    Ask any man who has been through civil or divorce courts here.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Not if the man has any political connections or relatives that are politically connected. Then the man pays out nothing. Not even child support.

  3. Anonymous says:

    Everyone in government are full if s..t especially Panton about violence against women. Just today Jerome Alexander Miller who injured a woman with a rock and got a suspended sentence His lawyer stated he was out of character amd the jude lapped this up. Whay kind of message is this sending. He assaulted a woman with a rock it could have been worse for her. McKeever assaulted how many women and still Wayne brought him on over. This government is disgraceful….

  4. Anonymous says:

    Oh pulease……what a load of bull. All we have to do is look at what hasn’t happened to McKeeva!!!

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  5. Anonymous says:

    Is this a joke?

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  6. Anonymous says:

    panton..the king of empty words and waffle

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  7. Anonymous says:

    There are no local support for abused men. No counseling and no safe havens. Everything in cayman is towards safe guarding women. Faced with the embarrassment in society the other challenge is that no one believes the man.

    A sad situation when men have no rights or alternatives to ensure their safety for themselves or for their children.

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    • Anonymous says:

      fair point, but I’m pretty sure abused women far outnumber men and in most instances are harmed to a greater extent or can be.

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  8. Anonymous says:

    #sheissupportedonlywhenpoliticallyexpedient

    https://caymannewsservice.com/2020/03/panton-finally-quits-ppm/

    Lest we forget.

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  9. Jtb says:

    McKeeva’s still an MP right…?

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    • Anonymous says:

      once again, and I have to point this out every time for some reason, the premier cannot remove a sitting MP that has openly elected. The premier is not the king of the government, he can at best request a sitting MP resign and said MP is of no obligation to even acknowledge such a request.

      If you really think Mac would willing step down from his MP seat then I bet you also believe him when he says he’s not running again

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  10. Anonymous says:

    Wayne is good for lgbt support and protection as he should be, but he does very little else. At some point he will have to drop his personal style of Governing to causes he is passionate about and truly represent! We have racism and Anti Caymanian discrimination that is blatant and out of control and he hasn’t said a word about the poor black people of this country who are victimized quite often by lighter shades of Caymanians and expats!

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    • 13,000th generation human says:

      I’m sure this will get thumbs downs and no sensible responses but I’ll bite. How are black people victimized in cayman? Factual examples?

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      • Anonymous says:

        You would only be able to understand if you are black

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        • Anonymous says:

          I am black. did you answer the question? Nope. Did you educate anyone? Nope. I guessed correctly that I wouldn’t get a sensible response. you’re proving my point.

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      • Anonymous says:

        No better not explain because if you have to ask you are clearly the one discriminating

        • Anonymous says:

          You had an opportunity to educate but chose to say a whole bunch of nothing. Still waiting on a sensible response but I won’t hold my breath.

  11. Anonymous says:

    Mr Premier please tell us how you confronted the violence of an MP against a woman? Didn’t you reward him with a speaker position? I had some confidence in you up to that point and from that point I do not want to listen to anything you have to say. If you are against violence it must be every violence not just the ones inconvenient for you.

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  12. Anonymous says:

    ha ha ha! u guys made me fall outmy chair laughing….thanks! but what u saying is true…we men dont stand a chance…i renain single thank you….psst…married or single it cost….lol

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  13. Anonymous says:

    Maybe Mr. Panton could show professional respect to women as well, that would be a start.

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  14. Anonymous says:

    This has been said at least 100 times already on all levels.

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  15. Anonymous says:

    “Ending violence against women is everyone’s business” unless your business is forming a government then you can look the other way.

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  16. Anonymous says:

    Okay, Mr Panton, why not reread your own transcript and allocate those missing resources?!? Who’s going to do it, if not your government? Wake up, man!

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  17. Anonymous says:

    what about my ex wife who shoved me down in the kitchen and kept hitting me…saying..”hit me nah, so i can take you northward?” i walked away and found an apt next day…never looked back….still “happily divorced since 2008…and intend to keep it that way!” if trouble start…see ya…women commit violence against men too…i am an example! and yes…i am a native ….

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    • Anonymous says:

      I don’t know how people deal with it. I just stay single and never have to worry about those crazy women.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Smh cool story bobo

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    • Anonymous says:

      Yep my ex came at me with a knife over a simple disagreement. I fought her to the ground and bruised her arms in the process. You can guess what she did with the photos. Men are truly disadvantaged in these situations no one is going to listen.

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    • Anonymous says:

      For comparison, the women who are regularly beaten in Cayman, often leave by ambulance. This is not about men, or their shoulder-shrugging ability to walk away fully intact.

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      • Real Talk says:

        This IS also about MEN! Remember FEMINIST have called for EQUALITY? Well MEN ARE HUMAN BEINGS TOO yet MEN have been Abused by women and for decades have on the shit end of the stick in SOO MANY other facets of the LAWS being in favor of women.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Some men go though mental anguish to the point of suicide because of their spouse. As a woman, I can admit that toxic femininity exists and that there are many, MANY examples of toxic females. Violence comes in many forms of abuse, be it mental or physical.

        The point is – violence against anyone regardless of gender is WRONG. And the only way to make a change is to accept that as fact. Statistically, women are victims more often than men. Statistically, men are the least likely to report or admit being a victim and also the most likely to suffer from poor mental health.

        Abuse is abuse. Accept that basic fact and condemn the act and punish the perpetrators regardless of their gender.

        Bad people, toxic people exist. Don’t make excuses or justify women who hurt , manipulate, lie to law enforcement and friends just because “statistically” women are usually the victim. That automatically builds in bias and skewed judgement.

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      • Anonymous says:

        It is about violence, and contrary to your one sided belief it affects men. Attempting to gender violence is a dangerous and stupid path.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Walk away fully intact? I have a kitchen knife wound scar inflicted by a woman I would like to show you! More and more women are using the weight of the law on their side to get revenge. Look how many women are falsely reporting being raped, the man is arrested immediately!

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