Studies suggest children taught about sexual abuse more likely to report it

My first post for Sexual Assault Awareness month and May is child's month but given the disturbing reports of child trafficking, teens and tots turned into sex slaves. Also the recognition by President Obama of a Jamaican lesbian advocate who was also raped (corrective) has raised the issue of assault on the front burner.

The continued conflation by some in the anti gay advocacy arena has become a deceptive tool for riling up the public towards homo-negativity and homophobia suggesting that buggery laws must not be changed as that will open the gate for paedophiles. Paedophilia is not homosexuality simply put. 

 I found this latest news of a study

source

A global review finds children who take part in school-based programs designed to prevent sexual abuse are more likely to report it to an adult than children who have received no such education.

A global review finds children who take part in school programs to prevent sexual abuse are more likely to report it.

For the review, published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, researchers examined published studies covering nearly 6,000 elementary and high school children in several countries around the world.

They found that of those children who received education in how to prevent sexual abuse, around 14 in 1,000 disclosed some form of sexual abuse, compared with 4 in 1,000 of children who did not receive it.

However, lead author Kerryann Walsh, an associate professor in the faculty of education at Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, Australia, and colleagues note their results should be interpreted cautiously because of the "moderate" quality of the evidence.

They also conclude more research is needed before it can be said that school-based programs can actually reduce the incidence of sexual abuse.

Estimates suggest that worldwide at least 1 in 10 girls and 1 in 20 boys experiences sexual abuse. Children who experience sexual abuse are more likely to become victims of sexual assault when they grow up. They are also at higher risk of health and other problems in later life, including depression, suicide, eating disorders, drugs and alcohol.

Several countries - some since the 1980s - run school-based sexual abuse prevention programs that teach children how to recognize, react to and report sexual abuse. The review included data on 24 studies covering a total of 5,802 elementary and high school children in seven countries: the US, Canada, China, Germany, Spain, Taiwan, and Turkey.
Programs used various methods to teach children how to stay safe

The studies examined various types of program designed to prevent sexual abuse. These ranged from a single 45-minute session to eight 20-minute sessions on consecutive days, note the authors.

While the programs varied widely, some of the content was similar. For example, they taught the children about safety rules, body ownership, "private parts," how to differentiate between different types of touch, types of secrets, and who to tell.

The programs used various formats to deliver their messages, including film, video, DVD, theatre plays and multimedia. These were supplemented with other resources such as songs, comics, coloring books, games and use of puppets. Teaching methods also varied from rehearsal and practice to role-play, discussion, and feedback.

Prof. Walsh and colleagues found some evidence that such programs can increase children's knowledge about sexual abuse - four of the trials showed children remembered what they were taught six months later.

The review also showed that children who took part in sexual abuse education programs were more likely to try and protect themselves in a simulated abuse scenario than children without such education. The scenario involved a stranger asking them to accompany them out of the school.

The authors found little evidence that children experienced unnecessary worry or anxiety after taking part in the programs, and there were no reported adverse side effects.
Further research needed to assess whether the programs prevent sexual abuse

In discussing their findings, the researchers explain the difficulties of trying to assess whether children have grasped the skills required to keep themselves safe and report abuse. "Even if a child demonstrates that they know how to behave in a certain scenario, it doesn't mean they will behave the same in a real situation where there is potential for abuse," states Prof. Walsh.

She explains that role plays using actors and research assistants cannot mimic real life situations. For example, we know that most sexual abuse is perpetrated by someone the child already knows.

In conclusion, the researchers say their findings support the need to inform children and protect them against sexual abuse. However, they urge that research needs to continue to evaluate sexual abuse prevention programs in schools and explore whether they actually prevent sexual abuse. Prof. Walsh concludes:

"To really know whether these programs are working, we need to see larger studies with follow-up all the way to adulthood."

In October 2014, Medical News Today learned of a study that found childhood psychological abuse is as harmful as sexual or physical abuse. Researchers suggested that children who experience emotional abuse and neglect face similar and sometimes worse mental health problems as children who suffer physical or sexual abuse.

Written by Catharine Paddock PhD

Concerns about continued MSM/Trans displacements & forced evictions in 2015

Since one of my last posts in July 2014 3 LGBT Forced Evictions in Clarendon a Cause for Concern on displacements (Gay Jamaica Watch) and other unconfirmed, corroborated and other dismissed reports as made up on the issue of forced evictions and displacements continue and in fact seems to be on the rise. We already have an islandwide challenge of homeless MSM/Transgender population mostly seen in Kingston at the Shoemaker Gully in recent times but as that group has been forcibly removed by the police and the authorities I fear the problem has been simply relocated to somewhere else. Spanish Town’s group has also grown upon my last check and a house some of them had captured (yet again) has since been emptied leaving them exposed.

The weed whacking project started by an interfaith group including myself is still struggling with equipment challenges and dwindling interest by the participants as they feel demotivated.

As per usual whenever LGBT issues are on the mainstream in terms of discourse there is some corresponding spike in incidents usually already in train via profiling, verbal abuse and the final blow comes with physical attacks and or evictions.

Most of the matters seem to have a profiling motive attached to them and while persons are encouraged to formally file reports to the police (even if the precinct officers refuse to take the statement of this nature and by extension to groups such as JFLAG noting the refusal, some persons prefer to private absorb the shocks and move on avoiding any publicity. I fear this refusal or hesitation in making reports hints to a long suspected challenge of under-reporting of infractions.

I still do get reports via Facebook mostly these days via referrals and via emails and phone calls for verification, (will not share all of them as requested by parties making them) thankfully social media has assisted in reporting homo/lesbo/trans/biphobic incidents and persons do not have to necessarily use phone/text/walk in office ways which can delay possible restorative responses to such matters as in the old days where it was more paper based incident taking exercise.

Here are some reports that have come to hand that have me concerned, thanks to persons for granting some clearance in sharing the relevant details.

Report 1: via Facebook

Teen told to leave the house by month’s end – in October 2014 in East Kingston, Rockfort to be precise after a series of verbal homo-negative encounters with a sibling based a perceived sexual orientation mantra finally ended in a fight and threats of a mobbing to have the teen removed if he did not comply. Profiling by family members seem to be the springboard for this one. After a prolonged tense relations the ultimatum was issued, the teen as others in a similar position get help from friends but for a short period.

To date he is still ‘kotching’ by a friend but is seeking a job while doing evening classes.

Report 2: via phone

Man forced to relocate (another such case yet again since my tracking) after assisting or accommodating an effeminate man for a short time in Portmore. After offering some kindness to another man who is said to be “real” (our term for effeminacy) he found himself being profiled and accused of bringing his ‘woman man’ to his home and suggesting the community has been poisoned by his actions. Community members insisted they did not want him to remain in the housing scheme and he has reported that he was literally being watched over a period of months prior to the advise/warning given to him by a nearby neighbour.

There was a similar incident I carried on sister archive blog on the wordpress platform where a man had helped a displaced man and found himself in major challenges while forced to leave his home but thankfully with police protection. The man via his Facebook status has since publicly declared he will not assist anyone else as he is now in trouble, this has garnered much response from persons on his friends list who are in agreement.

The tone of the comments suggest out of protectionism persons are cautious or refusing to offer any type of informal crisis intervention via the assisted shelter. This is a blow in that department I feel as this community level each one reach one typed help has been instrumental for decades in Jamaica as persons rally around persons genuinely concerned in working towards closure. I have also seen where persons offer assistance under deceptive guises too which also when made public have an impact of such avenues for closure as mistrust drives refusal.

Report 3: via Facebook(a very lengthy one)

Transgender teen told by mother she does not want a child who is gay in her house in St Andrew, while the separation process was not violent as the mother claimed she loves ‘her’ she says for safety reasons for her part (not her child as was expected) she wants her out of the house so as to avoid problems with neighbours and other family members. The teen has since found temporary refuse via a friend but for how long one is not sure as such help has time limits and costs financially speaking.

For example I would love to help more persons in my spare room as I have done before in my home but apart from an incident I had with one such persons two years ago where I had to take a break in doing so financially it costs to have another mouth in house to feed. This is a sentiment expressed by the few these days I am aware of who will help in this department in shelter assistance, seeing that no formal shelters for MSM/Trans persons currently exist (despite we have had our expectations raised by state and none state actors) this avenue is a viable option. During my tenure at JFLAG I had formalized a rent cheque/shelter assistance stipend for persons opening up their homes to offer such help but it does not seem it is in effect or if so in a new form.

Some complaints from persons who have engaged the goodly J for such assistance and maintaining same for let’s say two months which was the maximum I had allowed suggest that they were not afforded such benefits and instead it was reduced to one (financial issues maybe or limited funding) this is of course outside those more serious cases that require asylum for closure. The first month rental deposit cheque for example seems to have died down and just a stipend for groceries and such personal effects, JFLAG too based on unconfirmed reports seem to have been encouraging or continue to encourage the community based shelter assistance avenues for displaced or threatened persons.

Report 4: Gay man given illegal notice to quit property (September 2014) via phone

St Catherine my home parish was the place for this one in Portmore (Waterford) to be precise, there seems to be a spike in recent times in the surburb (historically so despite its unique mostly while collar working middle class demographic) The man has only just settled after the forced eviction issues verbally by the landlord of the property as he claimed he has been informed by phone that he the victim has had too many men coming to the property and again as above neighbours are grumbling.

Profiling has been always a challenge as previous entries on this and on Gay Jamaica Watch bring to bear, persons especially gay men worst yet when they have effeminate traits are scrutinized closely, their socialization patterns are monitored and discussed over the dinner table, the corner shop, verandas and so on and where such persons claim to have ‘evidence’ of their suspicions then it is converted into in their minds justifiable action normally planned homophobic attack of some sort or forced evictions. In this case the landlord literally came with a notice form but it was not written and served properly. After a lengthy and tense conversation with the young man according to his report the landlord went to his car and returned with the partially completed notice form which he slipped under the door despite the fact the tenant was present in house so it was not served properly in my eyes.

He has had to send his furniture and so on all over with other friends and suffer the inconvenience of prolonged travel to work and costs with very little recourse for some time. He has since found a new rented spot and has settled but says he is far more circumspect about his neighbours and has curtailed visiting activity by friends.

Report 5: via Facebook

Gay man in fight at workplace over battyman comment, photos were available via his Facebook profile but have since been removed in January 2015 (not sure the actual time/date of the incident but it seems recent, again profiling is the chief springboard for supposed justified homo-negative attack. The status message that was visibly public and not limited to friends garnered some comments from other users mostly negative ones. I suspect the man did not know how to navigate the privacy setting on FB, a problem I have seen for years leading to fallouts and such. Apparently it was this lack of knowledge on FB that got the attention of the offending co-worker apart from the in house subtle bashing or influenced it so much so that it got physical and the man defended himself.

The man has since reported the matter to the supervisors who have since tried to separate or reduce the level of opportunities for contact between the offender and the victim which seems to me as a temporary fix as anything can happen outside in public or during breaks.

What about other co-workers is unclear in the public post but it seems as previous cases show miscreants always have company or support to carry out their quests.

Report 6 via Facebook then followed up by phone

Butch identified woman relocates after concerns raised when she has been repeated verbally attacked by men in her former community on the corner shop. The actions by the men has a chief instigator who was in prison and absent from the area for some time and upon his return with misplaced bravado tries to reassert his dominance as it were in the community so he targets persons including this woman.

The woman made initial contact via Facebook (I suspect a group I am in) then she made a friends request to which I responded she then proceeded to lay her case in a lengthy message and a chat thread where she released what she described as pent up worry.

She claimed she has been living as a hermit in her home and only venture out when it is absolutely necessary she has since in order to avoid her pending fears coming to reality she asked a relative to assist but her true home (occupied with other family) is where she wants to be and be comfortable, to relocate for safety reasons is just too much for her she fears.

There are other cases that I am not able or have been able to confirm and those made to other groups and individuals, I have no doubt but the under-reporting, hesitation to formally make such reports and avenues for closure are concerns for me yet still after all these years.

Even though the discussion around homosexuality is ever so slowly becoming more sensible in large part the homo-negativity, old perceptions and mistrust towards LGBT advocacy still have an impact on tolerance and understanding that ought to exist.

Please be safe out there, vigilance is required for personal safety especially social media privacy or monitoring is key.

Peace and tolerance

also see some previous entries on here and on Gay Jamaica Watch:
Lesbophobic Rant on RJR’s Afternoon Flagship Program by Broadcasters

More Jamaican LGBTQ displacements & homeless challenges in 2014
Some considerations ..... would you assist someone who has been displaced ??? (podcast from 2011)

Same gender loving sister clashes with bus crew in Half Way Tree


Schoolboys in custody for assault of soft spoken male student

Man Bites Another in Argument after Allegedly Called a Battyman 

Jamaican Transgender Activist Turned Away From Bacchanal

Women Accused of Assaulting Teen with Bottle to be Tried in September

KSAC working to clear streets of homeless people, will the LGBT populations be assisted as well?

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

Woman assumed to be a lesbian chopped viciously allegedly by neighbours

Lesbophobia: Woman chased and beaten after being called sodomite

You Can't Catch Being Gay ................ Excellent Letter to the Gleaner Editor

ON THE DOWN LOW: MEN SLEEPING WITH MEN – ANOTHER VIEW

Inmate attacks alleged gay prisoner

Montego Bay Male Sex Worker misses a beating at popular sex site 

3 Schoolboys face the court for beating other male student allegedly for calling them "battybois"

Bisexual teen faced psychological prison, told not to tell anyone or else ..............

H

also visit Google plus HERE

Recent Homophobic Incidents CLICK HERE for related posts/labels from glbtqjamaica's blog & HERE for those I am aware of on Gay Jamaica Watch.

also one of my latest podcasts on the crimes of passion issued tied into homophobia in Jamaica

Bad Man Nuh F*** Batty (Masculine Men Don't F*** Ass) (The Fear of The Feminine in JA ) 16.04.15

older podcasts for a historical context:

IGLHRC Hails Landmark Law in Malta on Gender Identity, Expression and Protections for Intersex Children

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 2015

Contact: Suzanne Trimel, 

strimel@iglhrc.org,

+1-212-430-6018, @strimel

(New York)—

The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) celebrates the unanimous passage of the “Gender Identity, Gender Expression and Sex Characteristics Act, 2015” by the Parliament of Malta today. The new law enshrines the right to gender identity recognition and introduces anti-discrimination measures, allowing Maltese citizens to self-determine their gender identity and legally change their first name and gender marker without requiring any medical diagnosis or treatment.

The law also mandates a right to “bodily autonomy and physical integrity”—among the first of its kind—which provides children, especially intersex children and infants, protection from any “sex assignment” or “surgical intervention on the sex characteristics” until the person to be treated can provide informed consent. Notable is the law’s inclusion of refugees, instituting a process for individuals to file their application for asylum with their self-determined gender and first name.

“Malta’s new law is really the cutting-edge of human-rights legislation in the fight to fully recognize the rights of trans, intersex and gender non-conforming individuals,” said Jessica Stern, executive director of IGLHRC. “Crucially, Malta’s new law protects intersex infants from unnecessary surgeries to ‘normalize’ their bodies. I congratulate members of the parliament and civil society for their years of hard work to develop and pass this landmark legislation.”

###

Download the full-text of the law: 

Gender Identity, Gender Expression and Sex Characteristics Act, 2015

Former EX-GAY Leaders Alliance (FELA) Welcomes President Obama's Call To End Reparative Therapy

This one almost passed by given the President's visit to Jamaica and our own fear-mongering on LGBT issues.

President Obama in Jamaica at a townhall meeting

We welcome President Obama’s statement and stand with him in opposition to reparative therapy for minors, and call on everyone, regardless of political affiliation, to stand with us and put an end, once and for all, to this practice. — 

UNITED STATES – We, as former leaders and founders of conversion/ex-gay therapy, stand with President Obama and call for an end to the scientifically discredited practice of “conversion therapy,” also known as reparative therapy, ex-gay treatments and sexual orientation change efforts (SOCE). 

As we stated in our open letter (July, 2014), we represent more than 50 years of experience and can attest to the emotional and spiritual damage caused to men, women, children and their families. Now with more than 40 years of research, nearly every major medical, mental and social health organization affirms that conversion therapy does not work. It has, in fact, proven to be potentially harmful.

Unfortunately, the issues of sexuality and gender are used as divisive weapons between political parties, making the human lives of LGBT people fodder for debate and leverage for control and power. In the crosshairs, lie young victims whose potential straddles perceived religious freedoms and real life dilemmas. We can do better than this. 

Banning reparative therapy for minors from licensed clinical mental health professionals assures young people can find solace and solidarity in the scientific community, while holding mental health workers accountable. It does not limit them, or their parents, from seeking spiritual advice from clergy. 

It does however, send a clear message that the practice of sexual orientation change efforts does not work, and should alert and alarm guardians of its potentially dangerous, or even deadly, effects. As one would never send a patient to a doctor to perform unethical, unnecessary, and outdated medicine, it is time to hold mental health practitioners to similar standards. 

We welcome President Obama’s statement and stand with him in opposition to reparative therapy for minors, and call on everyone, regardless of political affiliation, to stand with us and put an end, once and for all, to this practice. 

Brad Allen 

Lay Leader Volunteer (2005-2007) 

Church Network Coordinator (2007) Exodus International 

Darlene Bogle 

Founder, Director, 

Counselor Paraklete Ministries (1985 to 1992) 

Michael Bussee 

EXIT (1974-1979) 

Co-founder Exodus International (1976-1979) 

Catherine Chapman 

Project Coordinator (2000-2003) Women’s Ministry Director (2005-2007) Portland Fellowship

Jeremy Marks 

Founder Courage UK (1988 – 2000) Exodus Europe (1988 – 1999) 

John Paulk 

Love in Action Leadership Team (1989-1993) Public Relations Director, Portland Fellowship (1996-98) Founder-Director, Love Won Out (1998-2003) Exodus International Board of Directors (1998-2003) 

Bill Prickett 

Founder, Executive Director Coming Back (1986-1988) 

Tim Rymel 

Outreach Director Love in Action (1991-1996) 

Yvette Cantu Schneider Executive Director (2001-2005) Living in Victory Ministry Director of Women’s Ministry, Exodus International (2008-2011) Policy analyst, Family Research Council (1998-2011) 

John J. Smid 

Executive Director, Love In Action (1987-2008) Exodus International Board of Directors (1990-1995; 2002-2008) 

Randy Thomas 

Executive Director, Living Hope Ministries (1999 to 2002) Staff member, Executive Vice President, Exodus International (2002-2013) 

Michael D. Watt 

Drop-in Support Group Coordinator, Love in Action (2005-2006) Love in Action Board Member (2006-2008) 

Kevin White 

Manager of Exodus Books Exodus International (2006-2008) - 

See more HERE 

and Obama Hails Jamaican Lesbian Advocate's Work

Deejays seek Obama's help for visa ..... there are consequences for actions & words

Obama calls for stop to gay 'conversion' therapies

Peace and tolerance

H

Portia Reneges On Gay Promise says Gordon Robinson

This headline was changed from 'Portia a coward, hypocrite' to reflect a more accurate description of the author's piece via the Gleaner

Finally, the rumour that National Heroine Nanny never existed is laid to rest.

Current political heroine, Portia Simpson Miller, settled the issue when, in response to heckling from an unruly set of gays in New York, asserted that the blood of Nanny ran through her veins. Hip, hip ... .

But the hecklers didn’t address Nanny’s lineage. They attacked Jamaica’s prime minister for making what’s now exposed as an expedient pre-election promise to take a small step towards Jamaican gay liberation, only to renege on that promise post election victory. In that regard, there’s no difference between those hecklers and others who acted similarly when Government tried, in 2011, to increase GCT on electricity.

Pete DeLisser’s excellent letter (Gleaner, April 7, ‘Go further than talk on gay rights, Madam PM’) put the issue in proper perspective. But there’s more. Let’s take the example of two gay men, Adam and Steve. Rumours and whispers aside, nobody KNOWS they’re gay. One day, they go behind closed doors and express their love for each other sexually, including (horror of horrors especially to Christians who’d NEVER practise anything similar) anal sex.

I think almost everyone, including the most avid Bible-thumpers (forced by modern political correctness) will agree this is nobody’s business and the law oughtn’t to be kicking down bedroom doors to arrest them. Once neither Adam nor Steve practises his orientation publicly, tries converting others, or corrupting minors’ morals, despite the Bible frowning on their sinful ways, they can do as they like privately. Right?

Let’s take another couple, Adam and Eve, both single and unattached. Rumours and whispers aside, nobody KNOWS they’re involved in a torrid affair (aka fornication). One day, they go behind closed doors and express their love for each other sexually (anal penetration not included). EVERYONE, including the most avid Bible-thumpers (forced by modern political correctness) will agree this is nobody’s business and the law oughtn’t to be kicking down the bedroom door to arrest them. Once neither Adam nor Eve fornicates publicly, encourages others to fornicate, or corrupts minors’ morals, despite the Bible frowning on their sinful ways, they can do as they like privately. Right?

If they want, Adam and Eve can, under Jamaican law, ‘legitimise’ their relationship by marriage, but Adam and Steve cannot. This is called discrimination. It’s the worst kind of discrimination because it’s based on religious bigotry in a nation that’s not, at least officially, a theocracy. Even if Adam and Eve were committing adultery (married to other people), the law allows them to ‘regularise’ their situation by divorce (also anathema to the Bible AND to Jesus) and remarriage without legal sanction.

Homophobes use the law to justify the discrimination, deliberately misunderstanding what’s law and law’s purpose. Law is a tool used to create order by devising a system of rules people agree to obey. Law is intended to serve society, NOT the other way around. Laws that don’t serve society are obsolete or unjust and must be abolished.

This is why the legislative process is structured to be conducted by elected people’s representatives and why the concept of an appointed Senate (no matter how ‘independent’) reviewing legislation is so backward, colonial and anti-democratic. The process is further corrupted by participation to the point of dominance by the executive.

Although, in theory, a ‘law’ represents agreement to obey, ‘laws’ have been passed in unrepresentative ways for purposes other than good order. For example, laws have been passed by a majority to oppress and suppress a minority (e.g., Jim Crow laws). Imperial laws have been passed by foreign legislators to keep nations as satellites subservient to foreign imperatives (e.g., colonial laws). Laws have even been passed by a minority to oppress and suppress the majority (e.g., South Africa’s apartheid laws). These laws, although passed with the majority’s ‘consent’ (or, as was the case in South Africa, the majority of those permitted to vote), are unjust and must be disobeyed.

One such law is what Jamaican homophobes casually call the buggery law, which provides:

“Whosoever shall be convicted of the abominable crime of buggery, committed either with mankind or with any animal, shall be liable to be imprisoned ... .”

This originated in a 1533 UK statute (attracted the death penalty); was imposed on Jamaica as colonial law; but capital punishment removed in 1861. It’s the same act used to disgrace and sentence World War II hero Alan Turing (acknowledged as the father of artificial intelligence, aka ‘computers’) to chemical castration, which drove him to suicide.

It’s named The Offences Against the Person Act. I wonder against whose ‘person’ this crime is committed? The relevant section is subtitled ‘Unnatural Offences’.

Apparently, the identical act between man and woman isn’t ‘unnatural’ or an ‘offence’ against any person. So, what makes the actions of two specified consenting adults illegal? It’s the good ol’ discrimination/bigotry combo. Want fries with that?

Its arbitrary and discriminatory nature is exposed by the logical contortions attempted by defenders to keep it alive. Persons whose opinions I admire and for whose right to express these opinions I’m prepared to die, if necessary, will tell you male homosexuality results in a higher risk of HIV/AIDS. For those of you living under a church on a rock, AIDS is a chronic, incurable modern disease spread by a virus, HIV (transmitted in bodily fluids including blood).

The virus is treatable, can be carried for life without developing into AIDS, but carriers can infect others. HIV has been passed in pregnancy to children, but modern care has practically eliminated this. Today, with proper care and treatment, people with HIV can have improved quality of life and reasonable health much of the time.
Religious propaganda labels AIDS a gay disease. Genital herpes, transmitted similarly, is not so labelled, nor is syphilis or gonorrhoea. But we don’t criminalise fornication or adultery. Perhaps we should.

Sickle-cell anaemia is a chronic, incurable but treatable lifelong disease. It’s hereditary. People who inherit a sickle gene from one parent and a normal gene from the other have a condition called sickle-cell trait. People with sickle-cell trait don't have sickle-cell anaemia and won’t ever develop it, BUT, if they reproduce with another sickle-cell carrier, sickle-cell anaemia can be passed to their children. With proper care and treatment, many people who have the disease can have improved quality of life and reasonable health much of the time.

Perhaps we need a law criminalising sex (and marriage) between sickle-cell trait victims?

Type Two diabetes, a lifestyle disease, the predilection to which runs in families, has far more devastating medical consequences than HIV. Regardless of treatment, vascular sequelae begin after about 10 years and disastrous consequences almost irrevocably follow (e.g., blindness, stroke, cardiac disease, kidney problems, limb loss or impotence).

This chronic, incurable disease, even with treatment, can result in the shutting down of every organ in the body.
Perhaps we need a law criminalising fast food and sugar. But, let not thy heart be troubled, Jamaica’s public health is in the safe hands of the buggery law.
Then there’s the defence of religious homophobes that they hate the sin but love the sinner. They don’t preach hatred/violence against gays. No?
“Leviticus 20:13

If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death ... .”
Need I say anything more? C’mon, man!

So, we have a prime ministerial candidate who promises one small step for the LGBT community. As prime minister, she reneges on that promise and closets herself from media. When she’s finally heard in public (overseas, of course), she’s rudely heckled by gays. Oh, dear.

The “blood of Nanny”, indeed! If she’d been heckled by a group of environmentalists about the Riverton fire and dared to respond in such a holier-than-thou way, local media would’ve nailed her to a cross for Easter. But, because it’s only gays ... .

Britain, which imposed the buggery law on us, matured and repealed that human-rights disgrace in 1967. In 2009, British PM Gordon Brown officially apologised to Alan Turing for “the appalling way he was treated”. And, in 2013, Queen Elizabeth granted him a posthumous pardon.

You see, it’s simple. Either you’re for or against human rights. If you’re for human rights, you’ll condemn the PM for reneging on a pre-election promise to improve Jamaica’s human-rights record and avoiding public discussion on her default.

If you’re against human rights or for human rights only for some humans, she’s your heroine and the “blood of Nanny” indeed runs through her veins.

Peace and love.

- Gordon Robinson is an attorney-at-law. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com.

ENDS

I have not much new to add as  my opinion still stands that it was not a promise made by Mrs Simpson so we can hold on nothing in the final analysis and demanding conscience votes may be counter productive in the final analysis.

see:

PROMISED (I mean suggested) CONSCIENCE VOTE ON BUGGERY LAW NOT A PRIORITY RIGHT NOW (YET AGAIN) SAYS PM from my post on Gay Jamaica Watch

Mrs Simpson Miller sided with the then JLP govt on to an invented distraction of gay marriage in the Charter of rights debate on October 2009 so I was not expecting much from her sweet words:

Cabinet delays buggery review, says it's not a priority & more ...........................(November 2012) prior to the announcement of the review in parliament in June 2013 More sounds HERE for podcast

Promised Conscience Vote on Buggery in Jamaica was a fluke, Sexual Offences Bill to be updated 2014 says justice minister

PNP’s Bobby Pickersgill differs on Conscience Vote route to decide on Buggery Law

Mark Wignall on Buggery law review promise was a political sham

On Buggery and gays in cabinets with politics ............ some responses ............

The Line in the Sand for the JLP Part 14 ...... but vote ☐ PNP ☐ JLP ☑ Legalize Buggery/Anal Sex in private ........

this old Jamaica observer cartoon reflects my point (made for over ten years) that is has always been about winning elections so her nice words in 2011 deemed as a promise was just for that.

JFLAG Position Statement on Upcoming Conscience Vote on Jamaica’s Buggery Law earlier released before the change of direction by the PNP.

THE JAMAICAN GOVERNMENT SCHIZOPHRENIC ON HUMAN RIGHTS ?

Justice Minister reiterates his personal position on the Buggery Law, Anal Intercourse, Consent & Privacy

Peace and tolerance

H

Angeline Jackson on Obama Effect? Quality of Citizenship for all Jamaicans!

Angeline Jackson wrote via FB

To have been recognised as a young leader by the first black president of the United States at the Town Hall for Youth at the University of the West Indies, on April 9, is an honour and a once in a lifetime opportunity. To be one of two young leaders he called by name to highlight their work and their story is amazing.

also see previous post:
Obama Hails Jamaican Lesbian Advocate's Work

This recognition, beyond being a personal accomplishment for me, is a victory for the entire LGBT community, here in Jamaica, throughout our region and beyond. The President carefully, briefly touched on a subject that many I believe were waiting to hear. For us in the LGBT community, as a way of talking about our issues; for others as a way of proving that the US has this plan to impose a “homosexual agenda” on our small nation.

20,000 people march against "gay agenda"

What President Obama did, was highlight the issue in such a way that made it human; made it more that an LGBT issue, it would take a very cold person (not impossible might I say) to ignore the human aspect of the issue, to not recognise that sexual violence affects many Jamaicans and go straight into the LGBT component.

As former Miss Jamaica World (2007) and Miss Jamaica Universe (2010) Yendi Phillips said, (I’m paraphrasing), this is what we need, these are the personal stories we need. She said she watched my reaction as the President spoke about me and thanked me for my bravery. She by no means said yay for gays. I don’t know her position, but that doesn’t matter, we don’t always need someone jumping for gays to be making progress.

Yendi Phillips

The recognition and encouragement from the President is as much to me as it is to Jalna Broderick and the organisation we co-founded in 2013, Quality of Citizenship Jamaica.

What you don’t know is that we’ve done a lot with very little. For the last two years we’ve operated on a budget of approximately $12,000 USD; we’ve spent that money conducting workshops for lesbian, bisexual women and trans* persons, creating at home posters for the stands in 2013, conducting surveys into the realities of our community, being the only organisation to bring the specific issues of the LBT Jamaican community to the international sphere through a presentation to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, collecting some of the early data on the homeless youth for others. Since our beginning we have never taken a paycheck. We’ve been doing a labour of love, and we have had volunteers who have given in their various capacities.

If I begin to name all the organisations, and individuals who truly believed in our vision and our mission, I may leave out someone accidentally. Please know that we fully remember you, remember your faith and help, your encouragement and your support. We tell you thanks.

Now as we celebrate and enjoy the conversations that President Obama has helped to foster, I have a few requests:

Volunteer with us (http://qcjm.org/donate-and-volunteer/), everyday we think of something new to do. If you’d like to volunteer and we don’t know what we want you to do, tell us what you can do. Immediately, we need someone who can dedicate time to social media.

Help us in our search for an office space. So we can actually have desks and chairs, and meet with persons in a comfortable and safe space. If you have a space or you know someone with a space, or would like to rent a space on our behalf. Thank you.

We need counselors and persons with counselling skills, to volunteer their time.

We need experts in various fields to donate their time through presentations at various workshops we will have in the coming months.

Help us to raise $90,000 USD to do important work with and for lesbian, bisexual women and trans person. This will in turn positively impact the landscape for the entire LGBT community and provide much needed attention and empowerment to the LBT community.

Know that our name Quality of Citizenship Jamaica is very deliberate, very strategic. At the end of the day we are all Jamaicans and we want to enjoy the same quality of citizenship as our fellow heterosexual Jamaicans. We are about lesbian, bisexual women and trans people, we are about women and children. We are about a better Jamaica for all.

also hear the follow up interview locally on RJR's 

Beyond The Headlines

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