April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month ...............

OK so I missed it last year and I apologize [while being racked for making such a faux pas lol], maybe so much was on my plate or scheduling issues. Thanks for the reminder readers; I am impressed now that there are and indeed always been some on point readers.

Now to pressing matters:

This year's theme on this blog is "Prevention is possible'' as myself and stakeholders offer some tips with regards to lessening ones risk of assault. Specific to corrective rape challenges there were only two reports that came in for 2015 that were confirmed which is two too many but a marked reduction as opposed to recent years.

The abuse of children however is still an issue and will be tackled by Eve for Life at an event planned for April 12, 2016.

Now for some tips on reducing risk of assault.

Safety Planning
For many people who have been impacted by sexual assault, current and long-term safety can be an ongoing concern. 

If Someone is Pressuring You
If you find yourself in in a situation where someone is pressuring you, remember that it’s not your fault. These tips may help you exit the situation safely.

What Consent Looks Like
The laws about consent vary by age in Jamaica AOC is 16, but you don’t have to be a legal expert to understand how consent plays out in real life.

Safety Tips for Traveling
The following tips can help travelers plan for a safe and comfortable trip and may reduce the risk of many different types of crimes, including sexual violence.

Alcohol Safety
Alcohol may make it easier for a perpetrator to commit sexual assault and can even prevent someone from remembering that the assault occurred.

Safe Web Browsing
There are two important safety elements to consider when you're browsing online: privacy and security.

Meeting Offline
Consider these safety tips when you plan to meet someone offline.

Social Media Safety
Take steps to protect your personal safety with the following social media safety tips.

Staying Safe on Campus

College campuses can give you a sense of security—a feeling that everyone knows each other and watches out for one another. There are perpetrators who take advantage of this feeling of safety and security to commit acts of sexual violence.

Lesbophobic threat:
If in any doubt relocate as quickly as possible, report the matter to a trusted source or outfit or the police. Set your schedule for daytime movements as best as possible. Note untoward comments and misogynistic gestures. 

Resources for Parents

Protect Your Child from Sexual Abuse
There is no foolproof way to protect children from abuse, but there are steps you can take to reduce the risk of harm.

Talking to Your Kids about Sexual Assault
Conversations about sexual assault can be a part of the safety conversations you’re already having today.

If You Suspect A Child Is Being Harmed
Child sexual abuse is a crime that often goes undetected, but you have the power to make a positive difference in a child's life by stepping in when you suspect harm.

Evaluating Caregivers
There are steps you can take to evaluate caregivers, such as babysitters or nursing homes, to reduce the risk of something happening to your loved one.

If Your Child May Be Harming Another Child
If your child has acted inappropriately or hurt another child, it is imperative that you take steps to ensure the safety of others.

Warning Signs

It’s not always obvious when someone you care about has been affected by sexual violence. Learn the warning signs for children, teens, and college-age adults.

Try to research other online sources for tips and be vigilant at all times even when you may feel there is no threat.

Peace & tolerance.

H

Corrective Rape challenges continue

In what has been surmised as a rape and robbery ring by a group of some three men in St Catherine has had some challenges for the police and citizens in residential areas such as Ensom City, Monticello, Avon Park and Eltham Acres/Meadows including the upscale Y.P. Seaton housing schemes and others as far west as Old Harbour heights within the last four to five months. A series of broad daylight robberies also is of concern as smartphones especially taken from teens, jewelry from women, cash and handbags grabbed are the items of choice by the miscreants; the citizen’s associations or what is left of some of them have banded together encouraging residents during the days when most persons are at work of school to be on the lookout and proceed with caution.

Early morning joggers and fitness gurus have had to curtail their schedules even as daylight comes way earlier than before as the summer months roll in as the bicycle riding scoundrels have targeted them as well where several phones and iPods etc have been taken. One same gender loving sister who resides in an upscale part of the Seaton development and who used to walk at five am said she re-engaged her old gym although removed from its original address just to be on the safe side although the early morning walks were refreshing especially nearing the river where the wind is cooler and fresh.

There seems to be a link to a series of robberies, sexual assaults and rapes of school girls in the May Pen and Old Harbour areas as well as the rumoured cases all have similar victim profiles and smartphones, tablets, cash and other what are considered lesser value items are demanded or taken at gunpoint, which now has some thinking the gun(s) used in the crimes maybe empty but used as an intimidating tool against victims as none has been reported shot.

Women overall have been targeted although a man also was relieved of his tablet as he sat on an avenue making use of the free wi-fi signal that sometimes emit from the nearby LIME/FLOW exchange building nearing an irrigation water canal in April. The unsuspecting character described as having partially bleached skin rode passed once then returned brandishing a gun to carry out the dastardly deed. The one man band has since increased to three as a set of women who live in the Eltham community house were paid an unexpected visit by them in broad daylight and at gunpoint robbed them of a quantity of cash as one of them was washing a car by the sidewalk. Both matters were not reported to the police when last I checked. The most recent case in June was that of a St Jago male student who was relieved of his S4 phone as he walked passed the popular LIME tower exchange building as well which sometimes emit wi-fi signals or persons residing nearby with password free wireless internet which persons gladly latch on to.

The corrective rape element however came into effect as in May of this year as a bisexual woman whilst sitting in the back of her house under a mango tree escaping the daytime heating with her young son who had gone inside was surprised by the same bicycle riding culprit mentioned above. The victim was on her smartphone also making use of the wi-fi services from the nearby LIME cell tower was pounced upon by the man as he scaled her fence gun in hand, he then ordered her to hand over her phone and to remain quiet so as not to alert the other occupants of the house including an elderly lady who has since died due to the pressure from the incident it is surmised, she was said to have been the grandmother of the victim and did not take the news of the ordeal very well, high blood pressure is said to be the cause of death.

The victim was forced at gunpoint to open the rear gate of the yard she was sitting in and taken to nearby bushes in broad daylight where she was raped repeatedly while he held the gun at her throat threatening her if she screamed. According to the victim she tried to make a run for it as he turned his back after the first go round in the near two hour ordeal but she held in her urge for her safety, it was then he scrolled through her phone and found photos of the victim and her old friend in friendly positions which prompted the man to continue harming her while uttering phrases suggesting she deserves it as she wants women instead of men.

Sadly the mentioned housing schemes where the ordeals are reported to have occurred are lonely spots during the days as most residents are at work, household helper technicians are on the inside or at the rear of the employers’ premises, the once bad roadways are now smoothly paved so escape or freedom of movement via bicycle as this crew uses is way easier and the police patrols had since slowed during the public sector worker negotiations hence less overall vigilance.

The rapist made his escape with the phone afterwards not before telling her to shut her mouth about the ordeal and the young lady managed to crawl her way back to the house in pain and shock and managed to yell for the occupants just outside the gate who came to her aid; they too were in shock as they were wondering where she had gone as her son was crying upon not seeing her under the mango tree where she was taken. The police were summoned and a subsequent report was made at the CISOCA office in Spanish Town. Neighbours were surprisingly sensitive to the matter (devoid of the corrective element) given the quietness on the avenue and a prayer vigil also was had alongside home visits to the remaining family members who still reside at the premises. The victim has since relocated for comfort and safety reasons. Other cases have popped up as well but as usual they are hard to confirm as persons hold in their ordeal which is understandable and the sexual orientation of the victims is also not known but clearly the suggestion is a rape ring is in operation in the geographical zone spanning some three parishes, St Catherine, Manchester and Southern St Ann.

It was only some days ago the police expressed some concerns via a press conference and subsequent radio spots about the numbers of sexual assault cases numbering some 200 plus since January this year of teens and women in the named parishes and further with gunplay as part of the cases. The cops sound resolute in smashing the scourge; I hope they do as they did back in 2010 onwards after the rape cases of now public Angeline Jackson whose case I carried on this blog (without naming her then of course for privacy reasons at the time) the cops had taken down the leader of a ring who hailed from May Pen who also assaulted Miss Jackson and her friend by luring them from a then lgbt site with a fake profile pretending to be a lesbian. The cases also slowed in court as our systems creak as per usual but Miss Jackson has emerged stronger than before. The accused was sentenced eventually for a total of 29 years.

Be vigilant be safe.

also see:
Serial rapist gets 29 years in rape ring


Peace and tolerance

H

C’bean countries need holistic approach to dealing with violence against women and girls

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) – Caribbean countries have been told that they would need to adopt a holistic approach in responding to and preventing violence against women and girls.

Two senior United Nations officials who have visited four Caribbean countries – Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Barbados and Dominica –have also noted that violence against women is a human rights violation, “which precludes the realization of all other human rights and is a barrier to the effective exercise of citizenship rights”.

Rashida Manjoo, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, its Causes and Consequences, as well as Commissioner Tracy Robinson, Rapporteur on the Rights of Women of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, conducted the study during the period April 15-28.

A UN statement said that the joint activity took place in the broader context of the cooperation and partnership between the international and regional systems of protection of human rights.

It said that during their visits to the four Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries, discussions with both state and non state actors “focused on priority issues concerning violence against women and girls and the prevention and response to this human rights violation”.

“The Rapporteurs note that many interlocutors described violence against women and girls as normalized, widespread and of pandemic proportions, and underreported. Some of the manifestations referred to within the home, community, workplace and in state institutions included psychological, physical, sexual, economic and institutional violence,” the statement noted.

It said that human rights issues affecting lesbian, bisexual and transsexual women were referred to continuously in meetings, including practices described as “corrective” violence. The issue of a rise in the prevalence of gender-related killings, as the ultimate act in a continuum of violence, was also highlighted in some contexts.

The statement said the issue of sexual violence against girls was raised in all four countries as a widespread concern.

“For example in one country the Rapporteurs were notified by a government entity that 97 percent of all reported cases of child victims of sexual violence were girls. Interviewees stated that in many instances private resolution of these cases was undertaken between the perpetrator and the victim’s family. “Mention was also made of the disproportionate use of detention in the case of girls in need of protection, many of whom are victims of violence, for “wandering” or for being “uncontrollable”.

The Rapporteurs said they also received information from both state officials and civil society that in some countries girls are incarcerated in adult facilities due to the lack of specific facilities for juveniles, which exposes them to the risk of institutional violence.

The two UN officials said they acknowledge the efforts undertaken by the governments to adopt and reform existing legislation concerning domestic violence and sexual offenses, to develop national gender policies, to create bureaus in charge of gender issues, and to provide a number of programmes and services for victims of violence against women.

“Both State and non-State actors voiced concern over the inadequate understanding of a gendered response to violence against women and girls, which in all four countries reflected a focus on men and boys, with violence against women being treated as a secondary issue.

“Numerous interventions highlighted the struggle of civil society to maintain the focus on violence against women and girls, despite the evidence of its pervasiveness, and the lack of adequate support and partnership in provision of services including safe houses.”

The Rapporteurs said that the numerous challenges identified require that in order to provide an effective response to violence against women and girls “there needs to be more resources allocated; ongoing monitoring and evaluation of policies and training programmes; proper data collection; and implementation of appropriate complaints mechanisms to strengthen accountability”.

CISOCA Head: buggery cases for boys decreasing, interventions less successful in abused girls

Speaking at a special media briefing on April 18th the head of Centre for Investigation for Sexual Offences in Child Abuse, CISOCA Superintendent Enid Ross Stewart she highlighted the decrease in Buggery cases for boys, she said that there were only five main cases in train since the start of the year and others have gotten some closure from last year. She highlighted a case of a boy in his teens who opened up to his parents on an abusive situation with a male adult as the perpetrator but when he was taken into office for the CISOCA team to have the resident psycho-social interventions to take effect he closed down on them and denied the allegation even in the absence of the parent in the room during the engagement.

“...when he came to us he said no because he was comfortable speaking to his mother but now he is at CISOCA where he has to speak to one or two officers ....... more persons are getting into his private space; we now have an obligation to record his statement and ask the Deputy Director of Public Prosecution to assist us in going forward.”

She went on to also share that boys seem better to respond to the interventions overall as they feel really violated when paedophiles abuse them and often go through the processes and attend court when needed with support provided to parents, she said girls however take longer in abuse matters and their resolution.

She never gave any figures during the public stage of the exchange.

The unit’s plan for this year were outlined for this year where she went into some detail as to the blitz campaign and branding on JUTC and other buses for example, newspaper, social media and radio campaigns with messaging encouraging persons who know of abuse or where abused as children and now are adults to contact CISOCA of come forward. She says she wants to encourage girls and boys to report early so the interventions can be rolled out to bring closure to matters earlier.

She said many persons are also doing the latter:

“We would have find in recent times that persons who were abused are coming forward to tell us I was abused when I was twelve, thirteen, fourteen; we have about five such cases as we speak.” When asked about the statute of limitations on such cases and late reporting she responded: “No” As for police who are accused of sexually based crimes she continued that many accused persons with that dilemma have been cooperating she said “The list is about 25 as this morning we were taking some off cause of new updates ........ We’re really sanitizing the list and um we had about 25 still remaining on that list, there are police, teachers before the court ....... we’re not looking at those we are actively investigating."

also see a case from January: Cop arrested by CISOCA

“Even if the victims say they don’t want to continue we have an obligation because they may be members of an organization so we must continue; so we send that file; that is one of those files that must go to the Deputy Director of Public Prosecution for a determination.”

CISOCA also said that it will not be deterred by the status of persons in probing allegations against them “An allegation has been made and so the rumour; I don’t like the rumour; rumour dem spreading now; so put it before the court and if it is that you are not guilty they’ll go free but once I hear about the matter, I have a statement I am going to pursue it,” said Sergeant Claudette Hepburn Community Safety and Security Office within CISOCA.

Recent disturbing inappropriate sexual contact allegations with minors and men of the cloth is also a challenge to which CISOCA’s coverage has widened to though not mentioned in this latest engagement but given the Cherry picking and hypocrisy but sections of the Christian community on an anti gay quest they pay little or no attention given to such societal ills yet they have all the strength and money (given the media blitz and full paged ads on a Sunday that are not cheap)and no interventions for victims, no attention to the homeless given recent disturbing reports of said persons rounded up by authorities in preparation of The US President visit earlier in the month.

also see:

Disturbing Paedophile Case & Conflation of Same Gender Sex with Abuse 

National Children’s Summit for Jamaica Conference Centre for August Excludes Sexuality Issues  

The arrest rate for under 16 girls was also raised “Some of these cases are really cold case files we have dug up and made arrests in them; and so we have made more arrests compared to last year but the reporting of the act itself is really on par with last year for under the age of fifteen for rape; it is really a cultural problem our girls and our parents communities believe that once a girl gets to a certain age they should be having sex and it is wrong; we are really destroying our girls.” Said Miss Enid Ross Stewart. The disturbing belief that young men having sex with minors or with a virgin will cure sexually transmitted diseases is still a challenge in today’s Jamaica, it was a challenge for me as well in HIV prevention work I was involved in at the Ministry of Health under the early days of the PLACE project. 

On sex with very young virgins to cure disease Mrs Ross Stewart made this disturbing revelation.

“We had one such report this week, our doctor called me to say ....um ..... She calls me Madame Ross I am looking at a case that disturbs me and I am saying what are you talking about? .......... a young girl nine years of age ....... the young man that had sex with her is twenty years old because she now has an STI all because the young man believed if he had sex with her his STI would go.

I am still concerned also about the continued conflation of paedophilia and homosexuality and hence justification by anti gay voices to block attempts at achieving rights and recognition, thankfully the goodly folks at CISOCA overall thus far are now aware of the difference and treat with specific case types with diligence and understanding, there is still some room for improvement as a recent matter that I was close to was staggered by old beliefs subscribed to by the police involved in prosecuting the matter.

Peace and tolerance

More:

Two Good Letters on Gay Person-hood & Paedophile Homosexuality Conflation

Anti gay religious voices where are they? .... Pastor charged with sexual assault

Youth Minister Lisa Hanna's conflation of same gender sex & abuse responded to part 2

Children’s Advocacy & LGBT Agencies inconsistent approach to Homeless MSM Youth

H

Obama Hails Jamaican Lesbian Advocate's Work

The timing of this recognition could not have been more opportune as April is also Sexual Assault Awareness Month in some jurisdictions. 

Congrats to Angeline Jackson firstly but I am a bit disappointed that more mainstream media coverage of this recognition is not forthcoming or evidenced, is it due to the sexual orientation of the lady in question who has been hailed by President Obama?

Then again I should not be surprised the omission or overlooking of LGBT matters has been a feature of our media landscape for decades since organized public advocacy from the days of Gay Freedom Movement in the 70s. 

During a town hall meeting with young professionals and students for the most part in attendance the visiting US president who seemed quite comfortable sleeves rolled up and connected with his captive audience. 

President Obama told young leaders at the town hall meeting at UWI that we should care about the rights of every human being 

"..........regardless of who they love" 

while highlighting the difficulties Angeline Jackson experienced growing up as a lesbian in Jamaica and her work in ensuring that people get a better quality of life

"no matter their colour, class or sexual orientation can live in equality."

See the full clip of the LGBT reference and Angeline's work.

“As a woman and as a lesbian, justice and society weren’t always on her side,” said the president. “But instead of remaining silent she chose to speak out and started her own organization to advocate for women like her, get them treatment and get them justice and push back against stereotypes and give them some sense of their own power. And she became a global activist.”

“More than anything she cares about her Jamaica and making it a place where everybody, no matter their color or their class or their sexual orientation can live in equality and opportunity,”

some of the other reactions that was in the audience when the matter was mentioned to which Miss Angie responded.

The faces of some of the audience members sadly shows we have a long way to go change hearts and minds.

QCJ shared their two cents on the Professor Bain matter

QCJ's survey they had done: 

click for more: 

Quality of Citizenship Jamaica (QCJ) launches LBWSW Needs Survey 2013

Her most recent appearance was at meeting in the US:

The plight of gays in paradise

Church offers venue to discuss LGBT treatment in the Caribbean

Angeline Jackson is co-founder of Quality Citizenship Jamaica QCJ filling the longstanding gap of lesbian invisibility over the decades of formalized gay rights advocacy that focused more on MSM population challenges. Her rape case from 2009 that the president referred to was carried on this blog during my time at JFLAG when she made the report and afterwards with the court case.

Then of course due to the nature of the case and the psychological concerns for such victims the report was a bit subdued as present cases also are treated so as not to have the client relive too much of the horrifying event.

QCJ has also been responsible for enacting a long standing recommendation/suggestion of self defense classes for same gender loving women to mitigate assaults as best as possible.

Jackson told the Washington Blade a few hours after Obama’s speech that his remarks “give me encouragement.”

“It also in some ways provides a validation for what I have been doing because it’s rough and moving forward with LGBT rights in Jamaica is certainly not going at rapid speed,” she said. “This mention, speaking about (my work), mentioning my name, speaking my work and mentioning my orientation brought to light the issues of the LGBT community because it brings a personal story, it brings a human to the conversation, so it’s not just them, it’s not just an abstract person. It becomes a person that they can recognize.”

Jalna Broderick, who co-founded Quality of Citizenship Jamaica alongside Jackson, was attending a meeting in D.C. when Obama spoke at University of the West Indies.

Broderick told the Blade during a reception at the Human Rights First office near McPherson Square where she and advocates from Belize, St. Lucia and the Dominican Republic were highlighting efforts to expand LGBT tourism in the Caribbean that she was crying when she watched Obama’s speech on YouTube.

“It is amazing to be recognized by anybody,” said Broderick. “It is even more amazing to be recognized by a man who is the leader of the free world.”

“In your country that is so homophobic she has been mentioned as a young woman, a woman, an LGBT activist, a lesbian, a survivor of sexual violence,” she added. “These are the things that we fight for, you want recognition of the issues and solutions to the problems.”
also see: 

Sexual Assault Awareness Month ... 2013

Serial rapist gets 29 years in rape ring, Look out my sisters 2009

Lesbians becoming increasingly nervous

"Corrective Rape" in Jamaica? ..... Yes 2009

When is rape a “sexual depravity” and not just “an unfortunate and tragic event” 2009

Accused serial rapist on the run has been cut down 2011 - alleged mastermind behind some of the corrective rape cases and other assaults on women in St Catherine and nearby parishes then.

“Corrective Rape” continues in 2010

"Corrective Rape" continues in 2010 part 2

Ragashanti contributing to growing public lesbophobia?

a podcast I prepared in 2010

Bisexual Teen Killed due to her Sexual Orientation? ......... Father says yes 2015

More same gender loving women being forcibly evicted


Jamaica lesbians suffer from under-reported violence but whose fault is that ??

Woman Labelled “Man Royal” Forced to Relocate from a St Catherine Community

another podcast I had done back in the day (3 years ago) when invisibility or oversight of lesbian issues:

Now that visibility has increased in the last two years and has been given a shot in the arm by this recognition by no less a person than the most powerful man in the world I hope we can capitalize on it to bring to bear credibility on crisis reporting in as far as lesbophobic/homophobic crimes. GLBTQ Jamaica & Aphrodite's PRIDE Jamaica has worked with QCJ as well and recently held a stakeholders meeting with documentary producer (Taboo Yardies) Selena Blake on a recent visit by her.

Again congrats to Miss Angeline who has risen from victim to advocate and effectively so.

UPDATE April 10, 2015

also

her comments on the recent heckling of the PM in new York by overseas based Jamaican activists

Peace and tolerance

H

Bisexual Teen Killed due to her Sexual Orientation? ......... Father says yes

Took a while to track this one down but got some new information on it as her father spoke in January 2015 on the matter.

The body of a teenage girl was found in Ewarton, St. Catherine on the morning of January 6th 2015.

It’s being speculated that she was killed because of her perceived sexual orientation.

The body has been identified as that of 16 year old Cleo-Lisa Griffiths otherwise called “Liz”, of Clarke’s Avenue in Ewarton.

The police report that about 8:30 Tuesday morning, residents of Charlton Meadows stumbled upon her body in bushes and alerted the police.

The police say the body had multiple stab wounds. The throat was slashed.

The body was clad only in underwear.

The guardian of the teenager, Renford English, says the fact that she was found partially naked suggests that her attackers may’ve been attempting to rape her.

He also says the attack may’ve been motivated by her sexual orientation.

"she admit to everybody that she was bisexual and she nuh hide dat from nobody; she was molested when she was seven years old and somebody try rape her .... 

mi know of somebody who tried to rape her when she was 13/4; and she fight dem off so mi know seh she will fight, most likely those guys were trying; she will fight, you understand?"

Mr. English says he’s distraught because the teenager was murdered a day before her 17th birthday.

"Boi mi a tell you mi feel it, she confide in me; she tell me everything; she nuh keep no secret from me I was the person who she talk to, about any and everything yuh understand? ........... she is still a teenager she was 16 yesterday enuh; it was her birthday yuh understand? .......... 

she was so happy the day before ........ 

I was shocked yesterday morning when somebody called ...... at least my wife call and seh she heard ........ but mi run har and seh mi never believe her."

Sad to hear this one but thankfully this father sounds more supportive than others would have been towards their self confessed LGBT children. Sadly the issue of Corrective Rape rings loudly here as many men in Jamaica really do believe that raping away same gender attraction is possible.

There were two such unconfirmed cases to my knowledge late last year which also have a bisexual twist to one of them.

May her soul rest in peace.

Three males, including a juvenile, were arrested and charged with the murder of the teenage girl in Ewarton on Jan 2015. Those charged are Joel Lennox, Andre Doyle and a 15-year-old boy all of Ewarton addresses in St Catherine.

The three were charged January 11th after been held for the murder of 17-year-old Cleo-Lisa Griffiths, of Ewarton. The men are scheduled to appear in the Linstead Resident Magistrate's Court in the same month.

The police's Corporate Communi- cations Unit reported that on January 6, approximately 8:30 a.m., residents stumbled upon the teen's body in bushes in Charlton Meadows in the parish and summoned the police. Upon their arrival, the body was found with stab wounds and with its throat slashed.

The scene was processed and the body removed to the morgue. An investigation was launched by the Linstead police and the three males were picked up.

Checks by THE local STAR News revealed that Griffiths had been in the company of a male before she was killed. Since her death, speculation has existed that the teen may have been killed because of her perceived sexual orientation.

Speaking on Nationwide Radio recently, a man identified as her guardian, said that she had admitted to being a bisexual and that he thought she must have attempted to fight off her attackers.

Peace and tolerance

H

Dubious Adam4Adam Profiles, Unscrupulous Sports, Gay Imposters, Robberies & Safety ...........

A series of incidents within the last few months have raised concerns about a man or men supposedly from Kingston who is posing on popular international gay hookup site adamforadam as a gay man seeking a one night stand or hookup where three robberies all describing the same person in height and skin complexion while also brandishing a machete or chopper in robbing his victims has resulted, his latest attempt was in the Kingston 3 area last week where the hookup was made at the home of the unfortunate person after which the weapon was brandished and he proceeded to relieve the frightened young man of a laptop, several thousand dollars in cash intended for rent payment, a smart phone and other smaller items. A report was made via phone by the latest victim to me and permission granted in sharing this matter; a previous Facebook posting from another victim also had a warning of what seemingly is the same individual who changes or block his number after each robbery; goes uncover or invisible then resurfaces, he also his usually closes his Adam profile only to resurface and repeat the attack all over again with fresh victims.

The link was made on adamforadam.com sometime in last week after a few days extended messaging albeit the party had no facial photos of himself but that of a torso the final meeting was arranged for a one night stand, I asked the reportee why didn’t he allow the initial meeting to happen at a more neutral or central location in a crowded space while switching his declared identity so he could scrutinise his intended party? he said that he allowed the person to get the best of him and his judgement and decision making was poor at the time to have allowed himself to make such a mistake. He said the man wasted no time in making his intent known upon arriving at his home and so he said he could take what he wanted but not to harm him. 

also see: 

Warning!: Fake Facebook pics and hookup dangers 2011

Inviting an unverified third party for a hook-up can be dangerous 2013

Facebook & unintentional outings to family members

History has taught us this that unscrupulous persons sometimes seize the opportunity in times of high visibility in LBGT public discourse to disguise themselves or even pretend to be looking for a hookup on the face of it when really their intentions are to rob persons, since the start of this year there have been some four such known cases of Facebook hook-ups gone bad with persons being robbed and one person actually suffering what turned out to be a homophobic raid disguised as a hookup. The man who had arrived at the meeting point at a popular guest house in St Andrew had hiding and waiting in a car three other cronies who alighted from the vehicle when they were signalled by the mastermind pretender. The intended victim however had realised that something was amiss and had made arrangements to leave the building in time before the worse could have occurred, he reported that he was alerted to the suspicious behaviour of the mastermind decoy as he kept going to the bathroom and closing the door, the escapee said he noticed at every entrance to the bathroom by the would be culprit muffled conversations could be heard coming from behind the closed doors which made him suspicious so he left a couple thousand dollar notes and made good his separation. It was upon leaving in another car driven by a friend who was alerted and asked to come that the plot was uncovered as they sat in the parking lot windows wound up and noticed the three men now together engaged in what appeared to be very animated conversation with each other as they seemed upset at the disappearance of their intended victim. Several phone calls to the intended victim by the man from his regular number and from private numbers also raised the suspicion of thuggery at play. 

It was a voicemail message by the mastermind that finally confirmed the deception where he issued veiled threats that if he met him again he would do him harm while in the background the other male voices could be heard expressing their disgust at not being able to exact their intended crime.

I have warned about fake profiles and disingenuous intent before by persons on this and the sister blogs and also about e-lationships and the risks involved with parties one may not be familiar with. Sadly there is a lingering perception even by downlow thugs as it were that other gay men are ripe for the picking and easy targets for robbery as they have more material wealth or financial where it all. So they target more effeminate or single gay men living in certain residential areas. One has to be very careful as the latter incident explained above is more likely to happen as the national temperature of homosexuality, perceptions of bullying by the lobby collectively and the hysteria surrounding the JFJ Sex education manual in children’s home supposedly sneaking in homosexuality through the back door may cause some idiot out there to launch a deceptive attack on perceived homosexuals or lesbians for that matter.

see: The Deliberate Misuse of the “Sexual Grooming” Term by Antigay Fanatics to Promote Their Hysteria

Another fake Facebook hookup incident took place in February of this year and was reported through the Aphrodite’s PRIDE Jamaica intake mechanism as the male victim in his late twenties was also lured into meeting someone who had posted a fake photograph of their genitalia and lower torso. The hookup also as the Kingston 3 incident took place at the home of the intended target of the deception and upon arrival he was pounced upon by two other men who arrived via bicycle, several electronic items were stolen including a phone, a tablet and a laptop as well. The similarities in the cases suggest it maybe the same set of persons who are carrying out these attacks via social media as similar items are taken when they occur.

Thankfully some gay and bisexual hookup Facebook groups administrators and other micro-blogging avenues have been heeding the warnings and vetting or monitoring their membership with far more vigilance than before. One lesbian group has been requiring persons declare their sexual orientation in order to remain in the group it has been reported. An older case of corrective rape and grievous sexual assault comes to mind from 2010 when a popular LGBT network page was targeted by a group of men aided by a female in St Catherine to lure women into the trap and then rape them as the victims were led to believe they were conversing online with another woman.

That matter was dealt with as the ring leader was subsequently nabbed, computers seized and other parties arrested, the case however stalled somewhat as the other victims did not come forward to make the case stronger but eventually the main henchman was sentenced to 29 years while the others were pursued by a cooperative Center for Investigations of Sexual Offences & Child Abuse, CISOCA team in the parish, an alleged corrective rape case also came up for mention this year in Western Jamaica but no serious follow up seems to have been done in terms of arrests and charges laid on any suspects.

A word to the wise is sufficient although we cannot stress the importance of being careful on these things as one just can never tell who is who or what are persons’ motives out there.

a previous podcast on tips for hookups, hope they help

Please be safe, please be vigilant

Peace and tolerance

H

Continued oversight or deliberate overlooking of Jamaican SGL Women in HIV Prevention?

Given what we now know of the recently concluded ‘Justice for All” campaign that is supposedly designed to address HIV/AIDS issues, dignity for persons living with the disease, addressing stigma and discrimination and the all important vulnerable populations, although we know that that means MSM for the most part and one is aware of the thirty year history of the epidemic which started in the gay community in the US predominantly but after seeing the expansion of the problem into heterosexual populations and women in particular why hasn’t the prevention strategies both nationally or at the none state actor level improve to include same gender loving women? Why has the regimes over the years seem to have fostered and maintained a culture of almost with normalcy ignore SGL women as if they do not exist in the scheme of things? 

Bisexual, Lesbian and some trans-invisibility still is present.

Knowing that bisexuality is a bridge for the disease especially owing to our multiple partnering culture steeped in misogynistic imperatives.

The recently hyped lesbian transmission story in the United States brought the matter back to some mainstream prominence, I remember my days in the national system where a few voices were asking similar questions as posed above but were met with a deafening silence and as for the NGO community they were not interested in moving on it as the general feeling is that their concentration was and is more on MSM getting testing up, condom distribution with very little psycho social/sexual supportive interventions. Local studies as early as 2003 from memory have suggested that there is a problem in continuing to ignore this group when they also are a main part of the bridge although mother to child transmission work is exemplary the specific identification and targeted work of same gender loving women to include polyamorous practices that do exist locally is yet to be strengthened; yet I am left thinking it seems to be a cat and mouse game that is at work where professionals are more about keeping their jobs with the holy grail of Global Fund money more so than anything else. The concluded Justice for All conference here in Jamaica and the platitudinous announcements of increased funding for HIV prevention and the Prime Minister with a flowery speech on protecting marginalized groups albeit the smoke has not settled from her dodgery yet again on a suggested conscience vote on buggery how is anyone to take her word on such groups even also as homeless LGBTQ population numbers increase with all kinds of challenges with arrests yet again of two only last week.

Dr Karen Carpenter in a 2000/1 study published a set of phenomenology papers in the Social & Economic Studies Journal ISSN 0037-7657 Vol. 60 #1 March 2011 Sexualities in the Caribbean a study sub titled “Love on a Continuum” that took a look at MSM and WSW (women who have sex with women) and HIV. The publication also had as subject matters:

Christopher A, D. Charles: Representations of Homosexuality in Jamaica

Noel M. Cowell: Public Disclosure and Popular Attitudes towards Homosexuality in Jamaica

Annecka Marshall: Reclaiming the Power of Black Women

In 2003 the Ministry of Health had commissioned the study on MSM/WSW populations for to find mapping of the risks in those groups, it found that a continuum of descriptions among male homosexuals however hence it was reasonable to also assume that a similar diversity was at hand in the same gender loving female group as well then in 2006 another study was conducted specific to the women who have sex with women grouping and Mckenzie conducted a further MSM study replicating the phenomenological approach of Carpenter’s WSW research. The data was collected through audio recordings of 24 in depth interviews via email, face to face, phone and internet messaging. Previous studies only looked at MSM, there were no known efforts prior in the Caribbean overall as WSW have been overlooked and indeed ignored for some time so no consideration was taken into account in as far as HIV prevention or mapping was concerned.

The constructs of sexual identity are still larger defined by behaviour and sexual practice on all sides (anti gay groups included hence the HIV is a gay disease construct in their public advocacy) without taking into account psychological and internal desires of the individual as we also see this gap in the lack of response to the homeless issues for e.g. the haste in the premature closure of the 2009 Safe House Pilot project by Jamaica AIDS Support’s then board citing “bad behaviour” as the reason yet no psychological courses that were written in the project rationale’s were executed to see their effectiveness or lack thereof. Much of the theoretical underpinnings of tend to encourage a view of sexuality as a dichotomy and this is largely restricted in many instances to a notion of exclusive homosexuality and heterosexuality. This narrowed focus therefore works on the premise that MSM or WSW do not have sex with opposite sex partners and that women who have sex with men do not see themselves as lesbians or MSM do not see themselves as gay if they engage women sexually. The Center for Disease Control, CDC in the US reported “ ....... Through December 2004 a total of 246,461 women were reported as HIV infected, of these some 3,461 were reported to have se with women .......” (Center for disease Control 2006, 2),

This raises other issues as well in terms of unprotected sex involving WSW who actually self identify as lesbian, then the biphobic nature of the exclusively gay individuals towards, bisexuals, pan polyandrous, polyamorous or polygamists for that matter as they are considered confused and disease carries hence the untrustworthiness quotients and deep mistrust that surfaces every now and again. Gay men for example who do not endorse the notion of bisexuality as an identity believe that over time a collection of experiences strengthens this preference towards what may be considered a more solid homosexual identity although some have had past experiences with women as response to societal demands and not an expression of identities. This belief is at the heart of the negative sentiments to the idea of bisexuality as a solid identity. It is at this cross over juncture in a bid to meet those societal demands proof of manhood via offspring is crucial hence higher HIV risk is eminent.

Sex as identity is restricted to a definition based on a biological concept (as anti gay group JCHS repeatedly does in their sometimes belligerent advocacy) which highlights the anatomical distinctions between males and females thus sexual relationship’s social underpinnings is grounded in genitalia (Cesso & Shirley 1984) ways however in which persons define themselves is also important. 

Power and control also play a key role in HIV risk I feel especially owing to the personality dynamics involved or assumed hetero-normative gender roles with sexual positions as a major factor. Material gain is crucial as well linked to power differentials understood in social labels for, e.g. butch, fems, lipstick lesbian, jeans lesbians, stud (most problematic of the group in terms of rejection and stigmatization from within the WSW community); it determines the “how” of sex, roles, when and has implications for abuse leading to HIV risk, another example of high risk is tribadism practised by exclusively lesbian women or women who get into gay sex for money or the sex industry (porn, strip clubs, massage parlours by request of male clients, or substitutional sex in same sex environments such as prisons, places of safety etc.) the actual meeting of both vaginas to create friction while pleasurable is highly risky as passing of infections such as yeasts, dermatophites as tinea curis is critical one can therefore assume that if the labia minora or lips of the vagina has been compromised and blood is exposed then transmission is possible even if the other party does not have broken skin but simply as the vagina is a receptive organ the opening allows for the orifice acting as a gateway.

Dr Carpenter also spoke to “Sexual Health Issues in Women who Have Sex with Women” at the Ena Thomas Memorial public lecture & Symposium on the 24th November 2013 where the matter of overlooking the WSW population came up for mention she referenced the 2003 study where she went further into the findings outlining some seminal data though dated but it appears not much has changed, for e.g Kingsley report says that vaginal penetration with sex toys serving as substitutes for the penis had been quite rare in WSW history that is of course exclusive lesbian women, another overlay that we need to also grapple with is pornography as hinted to above; while porn is meant to be a fantasy WSW scenes is a glamorised view catering to a man’s ideal concept of a lesbian not a lesbians’ lesbian as men think they will have more fun with more women hence the massage parlour phenomenon and lesbian entertainment on stage in strip clubs with all kinds of risky behaviour to include penetration with toys, drink bottles (Heineken or other typed pouring of beer in a dancer’s vagina to create the volcano effect) and fingering (orgasms on stage at times) and anal play. During her attempts to collect the data the “what about dildos and transmission?” question came up and it was clear that the response had not been taking into account these issues on a large scale. For those who do use toys however there is a concern I have had for years about simultaneous use of toys in a single sexual episode without a condom, an issue from memory that was discussed at the now defunct Couture Elements weekly forum at the Oasis bar and as far back as 2000 when Women for Women had Friday night lymes with guest speakers. The rapid passing of the toys is the issue as persons either do not wait for a time before use in fear of losing the “high” of the moment nor do they do not cleanse the device/object prior to use nor employ any barriers as it is assumed once the vagina is not offensive looking or smelling then all is well.

She also went into a polyamory forum (persons with more than one consenting partner who are aware of each other) that she conducted out of which came the continuum hence the Love on a Continuum caption. Some of the agencies seem to be guilty of not getting more background information on women who come in for HIV testing (apart from refusal to disclose) as the culture seems to suggest they do not want to hear about lesbians testing for HIV, one main NGO was named as having this misnomer as evidenced in their customer experience, the nurses when questioned by Dr Carpenter they had two formally registered cases of lesbians who tested yet the cohort when interviewed had been tested for the most part, so it is safe to say that it is assumed that if you’re female then you must be having sex with a man and you couldn’t be having sex with a woman and coming in for testing.

Sadly also some in the cohort do not disclose to their lesbian partners that they are having sex with men now we see how infection can occur as here is another bridge for the virus’ transmission.

There must be a concerted effort by the powers that be to include and not only include for a short time but onwards for specific populations with tailored interventions, we have had conference after conference after conference yet they seem to be nothing more than a meeting place for polite society than actually formulating and enacting better and specific responses to so called marginalized groups. It is interesting the ease at which the call letters LGBTQI are used at these conferences, human rights meetings by “experts” to sound good and have an inclusive image in the name of public advocacy but take a look at understanding the specific needs on the ground especially and you’re left thinking something else. One wonders if the slow march to dealing with these challenges with the cop out excuse that funding is not available is deliberate, is it that there must be a reservoir of victims all the time so agencies and bureaucratic systems can be around forever, was it ever about addressing the issues as they become apparent, why does the older agencies especially have to wait until issues get out of hand before they act, where is the needed pro-activity?

Hmph

Peace and tolerance

H

More same gender loving women being forcibly evicted

Only last evening myself and friends of a same gender loving sister had to join in an impromptu move as her aunt decided to promptly end her residency as "proof" in the relative's eyes of her same gender preference was what she wanted to get before taking the premeditated move and that she did find from over hearing a phone call, a boisterous exchange was in progress when I received a conference call from another female friend as to how to address the matter temporarily as the expletives flew in the background the victim of the eviction seemed calm and was more concerned about getting out of the house as quickly as possible, those kinds of loud crisis usually attracts a crowd and who sometimes agree with the action taken, this was the case as well here as persons were said to be saying that the young lady should also leave. 

Usually cases such as this are more on the male side of things as carried here and on related blogs Gay Jamaica Watch and GLBTQ Jamaica on Wordpress.

With this being International Women's Week as well it is timely that this issue be raised as our sisters seem to be going through some changes in their previous tolerated status if you will in Jamaica.

Only last weekend I was floored by a similar case this time of a lesbian whose father and other siblings apparently went through her phone and belongings in search of "proof" yet again to confirm their suspicion thus in their eyes the justification to take such resolute actions against their own family members simply because their sexual orientation differs from theirs. The woman who is a participant as well of a life changing project designed for young LGBTians is now slowed by this interruption in her growth but thanks to some wonderful support from friends and fellow participants in the exercise she is coping when last there was an inquiry. 

January 2014 also saw another case in St Elizabeth and that was reported to the team at Aphrodite's PRIDE Jamaica as well she has since recouped and is staying with her love interest as she adjusts to the new surroundings and parish while on a job search, she too was profiled by other family members while not displaying any stereotypical traits that would otherwise arouse suspicion for some.  

Last year I was able to confirm four major cases between June to the end of the year and a rising sign of physical assault/violence as well to even more non butch identified women wherein the "manroyal" connotation would cause negative reactions from some men who see these women as a threat of some sort hence they were also treated as men in terms of abuse. More "feminine" same gender loving women are now seeing themselves in line for abuse or assualt and at least two corrective rape cases also were reported and confirmed in 2013. Forgive me as I will not get into the details of the latter matters as they are still pending in court and other avenues for resolution and I do not want to obscure those processes. 

Strangely although I have some limited resources and my association with Aphrodite's PRIDE Jamaica I still get the calls and contacts on cases and thanks to the slowly widening network of allies and professional volunteers for psycho-social and other engagements for persons; they are still not enough as expected the more the discourse opens up publicly on LGBT issues is the more the stigma seems to raise its head with separation being the route to resolve the discovery of persons with said orientation instead of engagement and learning towards tolerance. I am still finding that some women when questioned about filing a report with the already established agencies they are reluctant to do so hence the under-reporting continues and a feeling that those agencies are male centred hence they would not be embracing and understanding of the matters at hand.

One adolescent female who was assaulted actually said quite openly that before she files with certain agencies she keeps it to herself as gay men are more a priority than lesbians in the scheme of things.

Portmore too have not gone untouched by this eviction trend albeit that the city has had its share of challenges for years with persons being forced to move either by other residents from profiling or full on prying or family members taking "steps" against gay and bisexual persons as fear, hatred and ignorance play out in stigma. A lesbian couple had to relocate late last year as well after men on the same walk way in Braeton decided they were not comfortable with the women cohabiting. The dominant partner as it were was told that she is a threat to other men in the area as they feared she would take of eye their female friends into lesbian life. This fear is real despite the fact that same gender loving women continue to have what seems overall lesser negativity as exampled in the sex industry or the strip club circuit where sometimes live sex between women is a major draw for some men although some of the participants are not even same gender loving.

The concept of a man's lesbian plays out weekly where some strippers do confess that they get requests for such types of entertainment and club owners or managers do include such considerations for terms of employment. 

Many women have expressed some concern as recent at two weeks ago at a workshop in Kingston where they feel somewhat uncomfortable as that feeling of "acceptance" seems to be fading, men seem to be more openly hostile when persons traverse the streets or even in their communities, one woman said she has been told that a man can "fix her" with a good f***, so violent heterosexual assault is the way to deal with persons same sex orientation in the eyes of some despite the visibility of said persons raised and the discourse in motion. 

also see:
A mother’s hateful letter, a lesbian’s suicide attempt

Jamaica lesbians suffer from under-reported violence but whose fault is that ???

Some concerns about same gender loving women on the rock

The group Quality Citizenship Jamaica recently had self defence classes for women which is a take off from the defunct Couture Elements/Underlined Response group sessions as well in 2009/10 which will help in some instances but not many women are exposed to such training or even willing, there is also a cost prohibitive reason as well as others who have offered such training/skills charge hefty fees for same. Women for Women back in the day also occasionally had classes but not with any sustainable timetable.

Please help out where you can and encourage more established LGBT agencies in particular thanks also to concerned individuals who have taken the initiative to use social media as a reporting or referral mechanism for crisis matters for women only which seems to be working. 

Peace and tolerance

H