JFLAG says homophobic violence is on the increase across Jamaica. More than 50 cases reported. ...but a cynical public disbelieves

So according to another nicely worded release from the press release conveyor belt at the J we are told has more than 50 cases of abuse since this year to June on record, well I am not surprised and I am aware that many of them involved some of the homeless and active cruising community grouping of which I have written extensively on, plus there are others as always that do not get reported at all, to simply put out a release with no supporting media such as a video or photographs of injuries a policy by the way I implemented when I was a part of the group doing crisis interventions of properly documenting cases by taking shots of persons abuses and injuries without faces of course for safety reasons for strong evidence, they weren't ready and seems still not ready for serious moves even after nearly 14 years around.

What does the J expect now from a cynical public when we ball out that we are constantly attacked?

Obviously disbelief and continued stigmatization especially when both the public and the LGBT body politic have not been properly engaged for clarity and forward movement.

As evidenced in the comments on On The Ground News Report on Facebook and elsewhere on dancehall forums people do not believe that LGBT people are being attacked so another press release simply won't do. The continued limpwristedness of the J is just still alarming to me as they had people who had ideas and were fired up and willing to implement the showcasing of and proving that attacks do exist but they prefer to keep things hush hush. Simpy making press release calls on a government that uses open homophobic rhetoric to stay popular and an invented gay marriage discussion to derail any recognition from the Charter of Rights Bills is not enough JFLAG, there has to be real and tangible proof of such cases.

some questions the J is still yet to answer: (if they will ever be answered judging how insulated and non-engaging they are)

1. Where are the proactive programs for the community islandwide?
2. Where are the residential interventions that were to come on stream?
3. Did the Sunshine Cathedral in Miami manage to raise the funds they said they would to deal with homeless issues?
4. What about self defence classes for LGBT people?
5. Where is the proper engagement with the community?

I have stopped for a while in posting the incidents reports as I too am befuddled by the amounts indeed that is true there has been a sharp increase but many of the persons who have been attacked could have avoided such if we had a properly functioning national entity instead of an insulated corporatist group. Simple issues like navigating social networking sites and elations is not forthcoming from the J and one wonders if the plight of the victims is being used to prop up their visibility instead of dealing with lives interrupted?

Here is the latest release, see what you make of it:

Kingston, Jamaica ---July 7, 2011

More than fifty men and women who identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual have faced various human rights violations between January and June 2011.

Jamaicans continue to experience human rights violations at the hands of their family, friends, neighbours, landlord, police or mobs because of their sexual orientation. Since January 2011, fifty-one incidents, including mob attacks, physical abuse, home evictions, and discrimination were reported with forty-seven of these meted out to males. Similar to national statistics on crime and violence, young people, 18 to 29 years, continue to be the main victims of violence based on sexual orientation. Young people made more than 30 of the 51 reports.

“On average, J-FLAG has documented between 30 and 40 cases annually over the past three years, but we have seen an increase in the number of reports which shows that homophobia based harassment and discrimination continues because of the lack of protection of the human rights of homosexuals living in Jamaica by the state,” says Dane Lewis, Executive Director at J-FLAG.

“There is a Policy Statement on violence against persons based on their sexual orientation, agreed by Cabinet on April 7, 2008, to support this, but there is no hate crime law,” Corbin Gordon, J-FLAG’s Programme & Advocacy Coordinator highlighted. In a communiqué with the organisation, Prime Minister Golding said that the Government’s position has been that violence against gays and lesbians is unequivocal. It should be condemned, discouraged, investigated, persecuted and punished with vigour and determination.

J-FLAG is therefore urging the Government to protect and promote the human rights of persons, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. “Action needs to be demonstrated beyond that of a policy statement if we are to achieve our national vision to ensure that the ‘Jamaican society is secure, cohesive and just,” Lewis said.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons have and continue to play a crucial role in Jamaica’s development in the areas of arts and culture, sports, education, job creation and entrepreneurship, among others. They are efficient and productive members of both public and private sector entities. Lewis also said “Vision 2030 would never be truly materialised if there are distinctions in our constitution about the protection of one set of people over another.”

ENDS

Here are some responses and comments from ONGR"

Jas'n J Hemings - jamaica have well over 1000 murders evry year, i doah think 50 cases of abuse is special, we live in a violent society, doiah think unoo must get sppecial protection over the rest of us. Im surprised none were murdered, seems like the state is takin good care of u'all

Sashalee Scott - Ok I know jamaica have violence but be real . With all the phone that have camera . If gays are being abuse so badly wouldn't it be on the web or don't you think they would call amnesty. Jamaica is right in America back yard CNN would have it running 24/7

Jas'n J Hemings sashalee - apparently they think they are special, dem luv get notice or supm,,, cause me see battyman all di time a JA and nuh man naah beat dem, and dem say JA is the most homo intolerant society , however in the middleeast they are put to death and certain places in africa, im sure they wouldnt want to live there! jus a style man country so, dem fi get visa and migrate !

Maureen Douglas - Is it gay,s alone that are been abused if so in Jamaica, what about our children,our women and all the other unmentionable situation. With all of this happen and many other varies in our society why dem feel like they are being signaled out dem just love attention so they will seek it from any angle all of a sudden every where yuh turn dem a bright up dem self wha dem expect grenny use to seh when plantain wah dead it shot.

Just to list a few see the rest here

We have a long way to go.

Peace and tolerance

H