Adventists bat for abused men

THE CARIBBEAN Conference of Seventh-Day Christians is concerned about the rising number of reported cases of domestic abuse against men and what it considers the lack of adequate attention from the authorities to the islandwide problem.

When the Adventists met for their 2024 Prayer Breakfast at the Medallion Hall Hotel in St Andrew on Sunday, under the theme ‘Break the Silence. Enough is Enough!’, that was the primary topic at hand.

In July 2023, the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) indicated that it had received more than 3,000 reports of domestic abuse, with the police stating that more men were becoming willing to lodge reports against their female partners.

To add to the data, the Caribbean Conference of Seventh-Day Christians said it was concerned that with feminist movements and some women becoming more inspired to lead, this sometimes results in them abusing their male spouses and that men are also being abused in their workplaces and by their relatives for various reasons.

HUSBAND BURNT

In her opening statement, Donette Gordon-Dalhousie, director of children’s ministry for the Caribbean Conference of Seventh-Day Christians, referred to a Gleaner article published in February last year in which a woman, Serita Housen Blair, was convicted for pouring gasolene on her spouse in 2017 as he slept before setting him ablaze. She suspected her husband of cheating.

“According to [an online article] dated September 6, 2023, a Jamaican man was reportedly beaten to death by his wife on September 2, 2023, after she found out that he had left her out of his will,” Gordon-Dalhousie said.

“She reportedly confessed to using a hammer to strike her husband multiple times. He was also stabbed. Break the silence! Enough is enough!” she said.

Gordon-Dalhousie was also armed with other cases of abuse, reported in the newspapers, which she made note of in prayer during the annual sunrise event.

Following her statement, Suzette Faulknor, junior minister from the New Hope Seventh-Day Christian Conference (SDCC), appealed further for the Almighty’s intervention with regard to the number of cases of abuse against males, reported and unreported annually, some of which are not reported due to the embarrassment it would cause to the abused men, especially at police stations.

“We single out the men who have been abused in our communities in our society this morning ... . Mighty God, remember our men who have been beaten. Those who have been treated unfairly. Those who have been accused, rejected, and scorned. We need your mercy this morning. Mercy, in the name of Jesus!” Faulknor said.

“We need for those [men] who are being set up by criminals to carry out acts that they don’t really want to do! ... Rescue their souls, Lord. Grant them the strength to endure. I pray our men will rise up with the courage to seek help!” she said.

Faulknor also asked for the binding of the spirit and forces of darkness that surround men across the nation, especially those suffering in inner-city communities.

COLLECTIVE ISSUE

Odell Marsh, junior shadow spokesperson for transport and works, who brought greetings on behalf of Opposition Leader Mark Golding, noted that women were also being abused and that statistics were more readily available for those cases.

“Today, we confront a great issue that demands our collective attention and action. The pervasive spectres of domestic violence, homicide, femicide, and sexual and physical abuse of our children in Jamaica. It is time to break the silence. Enough is enough!” Marsh said.

He said when examining the official data from the Caribbean Policy Research Institute (CAPRI), the United Nations Development Programme, and other institutions paints a stark picture of the prevalence of these heinous acts within Jamaican communities.

“CAPRI’s study reveals that 28 per cent of our woman have experienced domestic violence. The issue of domestic violence is no longer confined to just women. According to the latest police reports, we’ve also seen an increase in men reporting being victims of domestic violence,” he said.

“In 2022, the United Nation Fund for Population Activities, in their publication, revealed that Jamaica had the second highest rate of femicide in the world. That is the killing of women. This is second only to El Salvador. The statistics are not just numbers. They represent the lives shattered, the dreams extinguished, and the innocence stolen,” he said.

He said the time has come for everyone to admit the stark realities and commit to fostering a safer and more supportive environment for all.