So as we continue to look at the scourge of "Corrective Rape" and African terminology originally due to the horrible crimes committed against lesbian women there in a bid to "straighten them out" we too now see more incidents of this nature coming to light. See the "Corrective Rape" tab below this post for all previous entries on the matter thus far as documented on this blog.
JFLAG, Jamaica Forum for Lesbians Allsexuals and Gays have finally woke up from slumber it seems with of course the push coming from one man band activist Lawyer and Consultant to AIDSFREEWORLD Mr. Maurice Tomlinson in a public protest last Friday September 24th 2010 in the morning at Emancipation Park (aka Penis Park due to the giant statue of the nude male to the south eastern section, so named after the outcry it caused when it was unveiled) to highlight the issue, although I was invited to attend unfortunately I couldn't make it as I was at work(night shifts) while the protest was scheduled for 7:30am.
However it was good to hear of some backbone coming back into the mix, whether the action made any impact is yet to be seen as as the preparation of this post only Radio Jamaica carried it on their website:
J-FLAG protests against ‘corrective’ rape of lesbians
Meanwhile the J also had a press release to back up the action. see the full post on Gay Jamaica Watch for that and other photos submitted to me by Mr. Tomlinson.
Go HERE:
My Lesbian blogger friend across the way there who has more incites into the details of the cases gave a short post on the two instances of Corrective rape in St. Ann just weeks apart from each other, it seems the lesbian community is under pressure once again this year as the trend has been on the rise since 2007 when I first started to cover this type of violence meted out to our sisters.
Go Here for her entry on Rantings of a Lesbian Christian blog:
Other Acts of Violence from the Northern End of the Island
The case of the woman in Clarendon has still not been confirmed as I try to gather more information on the issue but I have gathered the woman who was raped there has moved to another parish and is coping with the help of relatives and friends, I have gotten the impression that when she is ready she will speak her mind on the matter.
Also for reference is the letter penned to the Jamaica Observer by Mr. Tomlinson on the matter a day before the actual protest in Emancipation Park.
Protect lesbian and gay population
"Corrective rape" is the barbaric practice where men rape lesbian women to "make them straight". This heinous practice is alive and well in Jamaica but goes largely unreported. Nevertheless, last year there were six reported cases, and this month two lesbians were raped within days of each other.
The first young lady was walking home when she was brutally set upon and gang-raped by a group of four men from her community. The men had complained about and seemingly had had enough of her "butch" or manly attire and were also upset that she had all the good-looking women. They therefore "cut her" so she can better "tek man". Two days later the second young lady, a known friend of the first, was driven away in a taxi, held at knife-point and brutally raped after being forced to perform oral sex on her assailant. She was then dumped partially clothed and told that the next time her rapist would use a condom.
Both rapes were reported to the police. However, it is doubtful the women will follow through with the prosecutions as the stigma and discrimination faced by raped lesbians in Jamaica is much worse than regular rape victims: in the eyes of most Jamaicans, lesbians have dared to challenge the hetero-normative status quo and have therefore somehow caused their attacks.
As a people we should have a national revulsion to such often violent abuse of the rights of Jamaica's lesbian and gay population. Instead, encouraged by our leaders and laws, many of us wear our homophobia like a badge of national pride.
Maurice Tomlinson
maurice_tomlinson@yahoo.com
ENDS
Peace and tolerance
H
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