By Sue-Ann Wayow
THERE is just way too much violence against women in the country and government should begin doing a major educational campaign to stop the brutality.
This is according to Member of Parliament for Pointe-a-Pierre David Lee.
Lee spoke with AZP News on Wednesday following reports of the 16-year-old girl who died after being allegedly beaten and falling down a flight of stairs.
The girl lived at Rig Road, Claxton Bay, in Lee’s constituency.
He said he was aware of the incident and will be getting more details.
Lee said, “This situation is very sad. This is the second time this week that the constituency is dealing with trauma. Last Sunday, while cooking lunch, an entire family was held up and robbed. This type of violence has to stop especially against our womenfolk.”
He said the bigger picture would be what caused the girl to be beaten in the first place and it tells a lot about the society that the population was now living in.
The MP is recommending that government embark on a huge educational campaign utilising mainstream and social media to get the message across that violence needs to stop.
He said violent behaviour was even being exhibited in manner in which people drive on the roads.
Lee said, “The authorities should do an educational campaign. Government should focus on a proper education campaign, a very informed one of perhaps, short, crisp video and audio messages with the intention to dissuade violence using different forms of media and maybe this would help. They are doing some form of awareness in isolated ways but not in a very big way. At the moment, we are not seeing anything like that in the country.”
Help to come from Ministry of Education
Minister of Education Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly also expressed to AZP News that the death was extremely tragic.
“The death of a child is always tragic, and in these circumstances, much more so. The MOE mourns her untimely and violent death, and sends our deep condolences to her family, school and community. The Student Support Services will, as is usual, provide support to the school and her classmates wherever possible.”
It’s extremely tragic to see how the gift of life is so easily dispensed with through violence. A social media campaign is nice but not the real answer. Growing up and thriving in Trinidad and Tobago depends on a home, school and community that is wholesome and nurturing. These are the spaces where children live and grow.That is not the situation in many parts of this country. This case of violence is not the only significant and tragic one. The only way that change will occur is for the whole country to make a mindset shift and commit to do what it takes together to create the conditions for positive development of children and young people. It requires safe, supportive and positive settings in which child-adult relationships are secure, mutually respectful and caring.And then we can reinforce the shift with a social media campaign. I’m the interim, without a caring environment, this tragedy is simply normalized.