The police commissioner, in April 2020, estimated that domestic violence reports would double this year (232 in 2019 to 558 in 2020). This is consistent with what the UN calls the ‘shadow pandemic’—a global increase in domestic violence amid the Covid-19 health crisis. ‘How do you reach out for help …
Read More »Dear editor: Gender-based violence is a ‘shadow pandemic’ in T&T; we need attitudinal change
“[…] Attitudinal and behavioural changes won’t happen by vaps. We have serious work to do. For example, we must address the need for values/conscience formation and citizenship programmes—at home, in our educational institutions, in our faith communities, in our workplaces etc…” The following is a press statement from the Catholic …
Read More »Noble: Terrorising our women; stop minimising the cruelty and torture of domestic abuse
The labels ‘domestic abuse’ or even ‘intimate partner abuse’ do not capture the terror experienced by our women. The media has, this week, creditably stepped up in their responses. The Guardian led with a front-page editorial and, commendably, the Express put male leaders on the spot to state their position. …
Read More »Noble: ‘No woman, no cry’! Hypocrisy, misogyny and bullying—the Mohit matter
On the eve of the 2007 general elections, Mrs Kamla Persad-Bissessar quoted the famous Marley lyrics ‘no woman, no cry’ as she dug in against the treatment from the men in her party. When she later won the internal elections and appointed Jack Warner as Chief Whip, Roodal Moonilal and …
Read More »Brother Seb, sister Cas and the whys and wherefores of the CAS/IAAF castration—in black and white!
South Africa’s embattled Caster Semenya is black. And she’s a mighty middle-distance runner, having accumulated 30 victories on the trot in the 800m between 2007 and last Friday. The Court of Arbitration for Sport, the sports world highest jurisdiction, last week ruled against the two-time Olympic champion. If she wants …
Read More »Dear Editor: No chit, no child and I will be fine; six months after my struggle to tie my tubes
“The article I submitted to Wired868 protesting the hypocrisy and stigma surrounding women’s health rights went viral and held the interest of the nation for a few days. “[…] The choice to bear a child is a woman’s right, as much as the choice to not bear children.” Six months …
Read More »Noble: How can we help rescue the women like Netanya who cannot run away?
Not all women can run away, as advised by Singing Francine. They are treated worse than dogs. They are treated with vindictiveness. They are ‘owned’ and dare not challenge the man or seek to pursue their own decisions or rights. This week, we add Netanya Mohamdally to the list of …
Read More »TTFA neglects Elite Girls; administrators struggle to explain why U-15 Girls inactive for five months
Five months after Trinidad and Tobago was controversially forfeited from the Concacaf Girls’ Under-15 Championship in the United States, the local Girls’ National Under-15 Team have not held a single training session and have no idea when next they will meet on the football field. Team manager Vernetta Flanders confirmed …
Read More »Part two: “We never feel like we can just be free and play!” Revisiting the Women’s W/Cup campaign
For the first time in awhile, I noticed how disjointed we are during our pre-tournament camp in Raleigh. We have cliques, like all teams do; but we have to have the maturity to see past differences for the good of football and country. That was hard to do this time …
Read More »Dear Editor: We need system for couples in challenging relationships; Letters on DV in T&T
“How casually the matter is reported, right alongside the business news. What amazes me is the fact that we have become so desensitised as a people that a woman can lose her life today and it is business as usual tomorrow.” The following letter, written by Roslyn Williams-George, is the …
Read More »What we resist, persists; we must dig deeper into gender relations: Letters on domestic violence in T&T
“The latest research shows that men trace their right to beat women to patriarchal power over women, which they say, comes from religion and culture… Billions of—paid and unpaid—hours of training and education against domestic violence have not produced practical change. “[…] Although individuals have transformed and there is less …
Read More »Dear Editor: Baldeosingh suggests ‘gender feminists’ use ‘specious facts’ on domestic violence
“The available data suggest that 40 percent of women are abusive towards their partners, with an even higher rate likely to initiate violence. “This is why the other frequently cited statistic ‘that one in three women are victims of domestic violence’ is meaningless, since it does not take account of …
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