by Howard Campbell
[KINGSTON, Jamaica] – The last five years has seen a number of horrific crimes against women in Jamaica. Two of them, grisly murders, took place in early 2021.
Dub poet Yasus Afari, believes Father’s Day should be more than symbolic. Especially, in Jamaica where men have a growing reputation as deadbeats and abusers.
“As a father, and most important, as a father of (three) daughters, it is heart-rending and emotionally disturbing to see the spate of violent attacks upon our women, especially our girls. These acts of self-destruction are genocidal in nature and are equivalent to voluntary genocide,” he reasoned.
In May, Afari and his nine year-old daughter MiK-YA, known as MiK, released the song Plain & Simple which he describes as an “urgent call to action” for “empowerment and upliftment which we seek for our women, children and our entire family.”
Their Father’s Day Special premiers today (Father’s Day) on MyTelefy.TV in Miami.
Plain & Simple came out two months after 20 year-old Khanice Jackson, an accountant, was murdered in Portmore, a community on the outskirts of Kingston. In February, Raheima Edwards, a 19 year-old college student, was also killed there.
The crimes against women have drawn outrage from senior Jamaican political figures. Including culture minister Olivia Grange, justice minister Marlene Malahoo Forte and Opposition senator Donna Scott-Mottley.
Sexual Harassment Bill
Speaking in parliament this month, Grange commented on the pending Sexual Harassment Bill. She promised, that when legislated, will be a game-changer in the era of #MeToo.
“The Sexual Harassment Bill in particular is going to demand a culture change. Here in Jamaica, there are times when individuals, they don’t mean to be rude but some men like to touch, some men like to say things. It’s kind of a natural thing for our men and no one is telling them they can’t do it, but they must be able to judge if the receiver is going to welcome it. That is going to be the test,” she said.
A key component of the Bill is that persons will have six years after an incident to report sexual harassment. Under current Jamaican law, they have one year to do so.
