Taking a stand for a better tomorrow
MORE THAN 100 students and members of local community and church groups packed into the conference room at the Casa Maria Hotel in Port Maria, St Mary, last week for a special seminar to raise awareness about gender-based violence.
The ‘Cum Mek Wi Tek Bac St Mary’ symposium, which was hosted by the Bureau of Gender Affairs (BGA), the local police’s Community Safety and Security Branch (CSSB), and the Fi Wi Jamaica Project, featured presentations, interactive role play sessions, and a speech from St Mary’s police chief, Superintendent Fabian Farquharson.
According to the BGA’s acting director of community liaisons, Shaniquea Ormsby, the project sought to inform and educate people about genderbased violence by engaging with community groups throughout the parish.
She told Rural Xpress: “The purpose of today’s symposium is to create a greater awareness about different forms of genderbased violence and to train persons in dealing with this in its various forms, such as bullying, sexual and domestic violence, and child abuse.
“So if they, or anyone they know, are faced with any of these situations, they will know what to do and have an idea of
The walk attracted a lot of students and it was encouraging to see how they were very engaged and so eager to distribute the brochures they had been given.
the agencies that are available to provide the necessary support. Yesterday was fabulous because we had an advocacy walk in Annotto Bay, from the police station to the Texaco gas station, to declare that we are taking a zero-tolerance stance on violence.
“The walk attracted a lot of students, and it was encouraging to see how they were very engaged and so eager to distribute the brochures they had been given. The turnout today is good, too, because it shows that persons are interested and willing to come on board to help eliminate this scourge of violence that we’re having.”