Every year for the past dozen years, 16 days are set aside in Cayman to campaign against gender abuse in the community.
The theme of this year’s annual 16 days of activism against gender abuse is zero tolerance from childhood to adulthood – a theme organisers say is especially significant because everyone in our community has been a victim, is related to, works with or knows a victim of violence.
This year the project is expected, and hoped, to elicit more interest than usual, coming as it does, five weeks after the biggest turnout Cayman has seen for its annual Silent Witness March to protest against domestic violence.
In last month’s march, which aimed to give voice to the silent victims of abuse, saw more than 2,000 people take to the streets of George Town in memory of the late Estella Scott-Roberts, who was killed on 10 October. She had played a major role in establishing support networks for victims and raising awareness of the problem in the Cayman Islands.
Chairperson of the BPW Club’s 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Abuse Committee Angela Doyle said that the march, held eight days after Mrs. Scott-Robert’s was last seen alive, attracted the biggest public turnout since the first one was held in 2000.
‘As painful as it is, let us never forget why the community came together on that fateful day as a unified body, crying out silently against the abuse of one of our own – one of the pioneers in the battle against gender abuse.
‘Let us march again and again and for as long as it takes to stamp out gender abuse in our beloved Cayman Islands,’ she said.
The project is part of an international campaign initiated by the US-based Center for Women’s Global Leadership in 1991 and was initiated locally by the Business and Professional Women’s Club in 1996.
The campaign kicks off on 25 November, which is International Day Against Violence Against Women and continues over the next 16 days to 10 December, the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and now known as Human Rights Day.
Since 1996, the BPW Club has worked with other agencies to raise awareness of gender abuse, change attitudes by making abuse unacceptable in any form, explore ways to help and support victims and their families and work toward getting more effective legislation in place to help eradicate gender abuse in the community.
Ms Doyle said: ‘Gender abuse affects each and every one of us. Some of us are affected personally through being the victim of gender abuse. Some of us are affected when we find out that the victim of gender abuse is a family member; a friend; a neighbour or a co-worker.’
Back in 1996, when the Club first launched the campaign locally, the theme was ‘When Someone Abuses, Everyone Loses’. Ms Doyle points out that the effects of gender abuse in Cayman society is as evident today as it was a dozen years ago and takes many forms – not just physical violence.
It encompasses verbal, sexual, and financial abuse; intimidation of others; controlling the life choices of others; instilling fear; and the stalking and/or harassment.
She said: ‘We all want to believe that every home is a happy and peaceful place and a safe haven for every child to go to at the end of the school day; a place for every man and woman to return to at the end of a long working day; a place where the full-time mother loves to see her husband return to at the end of his working day or vice versa; a place where the grandparent who lives with one of their children or grandchildren does so in a happy and contented environment.’
‘Unfortunately this is not always the case. Within our community there is the mother who dreads the 5 o’clock hour; the child who dreads going home; the child who is scared about bedtime; the working parent who wishes the day was longer and the grandparent who wishes that they had their own space.’
Campaigners say a unified community can make a stand against gender violence and abuse, but only if it has the ‘heart, will and determination’ to make it happen.
Reports of domestic violence have been increasing in recent years in Cayman. In 2007, police received 245 reports of domestic violence, compared to 166 reports the previous year – an increase of 48 per cent. According to police statistics, 188 of the 2007 reports led to charges, while 170 of the reports received in 2006 led to individuals facing charges.
The opening ceremony of the 16-day campaign will be held on the lawn of the Government Administration Building from 1pm-1.30pm, at which a report by a special advisory group on gender abuse, set up following Mrs. Scott-Roberts’ death, will be presented to the government.
Representatives of the various bodies involved in the campaign, including from the Women’s Resource Centre, Cayman Islands Crisis Centre, Business and Professional Women’s Club, the Department of Child and Family Services will appear on radio and TV show throughout the 16 days to highlight their efforts and raise awareness.
Throughout the campaign, T-shirts made by male or female victims of violence, as well as those who may have witnessed violence as a child or those who want to support victims, will be on display at George Town Post Office and hospital as part of the Clothesline Project.
And at Books & Books in Camana Bay, a quilt made by victims of child abuse, called Children Speak Quilt, can be seen. The quilt was created by children to reflect their views on issues of abuse and neglect.
A special edition newsletter for the campaign will be available at Foster’s Food Fair supermarket, the Post Office, the Women’s Resource Centre and its partner agencies.
Calendar
Tuesday, 25 Nov:
International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women
1pm-1.30pm
Opening ceremony at Government Administration Building.
5pm-6.30pm
Legal Befrienders Clinic at Women’s Resource Centre
Wednesday, 26 Nov
5.30pm-7.30pm
Healthy Relationships Workshop: Partnerships and Equality at WRC (open to all).
Friday, 28 Nov
9am-5pm
Extended Legal Befrienders Phoneline 945-8869
Saturday, 29 Nov
9am-1pm
Seven Steps to Protecting Children from Sexual Abuse at the WRC
Sunday, 30 Nov
10am
Safe Harbour Community Lutheran Church Service at Ritz Carlton (open to all)
Tuesday, 2 Dec
5pm-6.30pm
Legal Befrienders Clinic at WRC
Wednesday, 3 Dec
5.30pm-7.30pm
Healthy Relationships Workshop: Problem Solving and Conflict Resolution at WRC (open to all)
Thursday, 4 Dec
5pm-7pm
Clothesline T-shirt Painting at WRC
Friday, 5 Dec
Extended Legal Befrienders Phoneline 945-8869
Saturday, 6 Dec
10am-1pm
Clothesline T-shirt Painting at WRC
2pm-6pm
Seven Steps to Protecting Children from Sexual Abuse at WRC
Tuesday, 9 Dec
5pm-6.30pm
Legal Befrienders Clinic at WRC
Wednesday, 10 Dec
International Human Rights Day
5.30pm-7.30pm
Healthy Relationships Workshop: Breaking Free or Rebuilding at WRC (open to all)
6.30pm
Closing service at Public Beach on Seven Mile Beach.
For more details on events, contact Miriam Foster at the WRC on 949-0006.
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