One in four Caribbean men bisexual – survey

There seems to be some foul up going on here as the original information was as follows:

Almost one in four Caribbean men today describe themselves as bisexual, a new study suggests.
The preliminary findings of the regionwide Caribbean Men’s Internet Survey (CARIMIS) are in stark contrast to the Caribbean’s traditional image of a macho society with sparse tolerance for homosexuality.

“We have a fair population in the Caribbean that identify as bisexual. Across the entire sample … about 20 to 23 per cent say they are bisexual,” facilitator of the CARIMIS project and director of UNAIDS, Caribbean Regional Support Team, Ernest Massiah said.
The CARIMIS study is being touted as the “largest sample” of the Caribbean MSM (men who have sex with men) population of its kind, done via Internet—surveying 2,560 men throughout 33 territories in the region.

Massiah also revealed that 15 per cent of the men did not define themselves in any category. Although they engaged in sexual activity with other men, they “do not want a label”, he said.
According to the director, the most “shocking” aspect of the study involves the amount of physical and verbal abuse and visual intimidation levied against MSMs in their respective countries.
“What we are seeing across the region is that between five and 10 per cent of people have been assaulted because they were perceived to have a different sexual orientation,” Massiah said.

In some nations half of the MSM population identified with being verbally abused and visually intimidated.
“What we are seeing is that as a society, if you have a sexual orientation that is perceived as different, you can be physically abused and in a lot of cases you receive verbal abuse,” he said.

For the first time, the study identified a new population of men – the educated MSM man.
“We are getting a population that we have not been able to get data from before, that is men with secondary and tertiary level education. We have a very educated sample here,” the director said.

Previously, face-to-face surveys were the norm, but only accessed “certain members” of the MSM population. Massiah said that the use of the Internet and redefining their target populations was the key to the survey’s success.

“It is a good way of doing research because you can get to people in a much quicker way than you would have if you tried to do an interview with an individual person,” he added.
The study’s results will be given to governments of participating nations to help develop policies and initiatives that will protect and service the MSM community.

The UNAIDS-funded initiative was launched online last November and concluded in June.
The MSM population is defined by the survey not only as openly gay men but also men who do not self-identify as gay or bisexual but participate in sexual activities with other men. The survey is being implemented throughout the English, French, Spanish and Dutch speaking Caribbean countries.

The survey is now closed and will be out by October.

New developments - August 16, 2012

After communicating directly with the UNAIDS Caribbean media representative to verify the story yesterday via email the following Press Statement was sent to me from their Trinidad office as other media outlets had it wrong it seems, the problem is the damage has been done but let's make it right as local discourse is already high since the story broke with even our Jamaica Observer carrying the piece:

PRESS STATEMENT

MSM data due by the end of October

PORT OF SPAIN, 16 August, 2012— UNAIDS Caribbean wishes to debunk a news story circulating in the regional media over the last 24 hours under the headline “One in every four Caribbean men bisexual”. The story’s claim that a UNAIDS study found that quarter of the region’s men are bisexual, is misleading and of no merit.

The Caribbean Men’s Internet Survey—the first ever online study of men who have sex with men (MSM) in the region—has not yet been finalised as country-specific data are currently being analysed. Of the overall sample (of MSM who responded to the survey), 23 percent declared themselves to be bisexual. This is far different from one in four Caribbean men being bisexual as suggested in the story. Additionally, the sample size of the survey was 3,566 and not 2,566 as the report stated.

Findings will be finalised by the end of October 2012 and will be released to the regional media directly through the UNAIDS Caribbean Regional Support Team. For factual information on the study methodology and preliminary findings please visit www.unaidscaribbean.org

Contact

UNAIDS Caribbean | Cedriann Martin | tel. +868 623-7056 ext. 283 / +868 371-7195 | martinc@unaids.org

UNAIDS
UNAIDS, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, is an innovative United Nations partnership that leads and inspires the world in achieving universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support. Learn more at unaids.org and unaidscaribbean.org

ENDS

My question is who made these grave errors in numbers and the time of the study's release? UNAIDS, the media or is Dr Massiah The Regional Director as quoted is being reigned in as he has been saying alot lately, case in point his pronouncements that the PNP, Peoples National Party offers hope for repealing the buggery law while revealing his hand that he has had conversations with three sitting unnamed Prime Ministers (to be named), an observation I made that he should have held that to his chest while continuing the talks.

 here is the actual newscast on the PNP matter from Nationwide News

also take a look at a thread from the Antiguan Observer HERE