Generation equality stands against rape
STARTING TOMORROW, on International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and for the next two years, the United Nations Secretary General’s UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign, a multi-year effort aimed at preventing and eliminating violence against women and girls, will focus on the issue of rape as a specific form of harm committed against women and girls in times of peace or war.
The 2019 theme for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women is ‘Orange the World: Generation Equality Stands Against Rape’. Like in previous years, this year’s International Day will mark the launch of 16 days of activism that will conclude on December 10, International Human Rights Day.
Generation Equality stands Against Rape, the 2019 UN theme for 16 days of activism to call the world to End Violence Against Women and Girls, will be interpreted in many ways by many countries, groups and communities.
INTERPRETATION
This year my interpretation is:
1. Call to end generational rape and sexual violence.
2. Call to end intergenerational rape of the Jamaican girl child.
3. Call to Jamaican women to end intergenerational stigma and discrimination.
4. Call for positive intergenerational mentorship.
5. Call for generational equality that stands against rape.
6. Call for generational women to stand with victims, survivors, and overcomers of rape.
Often, in my work, I am challenged about “exclusion” of men. This is not accurate. We engage men on the board of directors, as beneficiaries of our psychosocial and family services, and as community partner advocates in eliminating all forms of violence against women.
Truth be told, however, in my 11 years of targeted grass-roots and national responses to sexual violence of the Jamaican girl child, women have been at the heart of this atrocity.
There are many sociocultural, historic and religious justifications, none so etched in stone that they cannot be changed.
There have been several pockets of change, shifts in narrative, care and support, and this has saved many lives.
I contend, however, that the rape and violation of the Jamaican girl is escalating and deepening, taking on an ugliness that is new.
As a single responder, I receive almost weekly requests for help related to girls all under age 16, and as young as 10 years two weeks ago. This is not unusual.
What is unusual is the lack of empathy, compassion, support, protection, and action associated with the women the survivors engage along their journey. The phrase, “... and she is a woman” when spoken by someone who has been raped breaks my heart. The pain in their voices, and resignation to sentencing, is haunting.
Women can and must stand against rape. Generations of women must stand today against rape. If not, the present-day girl will remain ‘meat’ for intergenerational men and generational boys.
It is the least we can do.
■ Joy Crawford is co-founder ofEve for Life, which has spent the past 11 years empowering survivors of sexual violence.