Violence is not the first word that comes to mind when thinking of life in the Caribbean.
Crystal blue waters, endless summer sun, laying in a hammock with Bob Marley playing in the background is the idyllic vision of this region of the world.
And yet, violence is the dark secret lurking behind the public smiles and carefree attitudes of those who dwell here.
According to the Inter-American Development Bank report of 2017, author Heather Sutton says, “The Caribbean does not have a crime problem. It has a violence problem.”
A violence problem.
Most importantly, the kind of violence that starts in homes.
An icy wash cloth of data on a cold morning awakens us to a new reality.
Children, our most vulnerable citizens, are most often victimized by family.
Women far too often silently suffer through intimate partner violence.
This report covered 5 Caribbean countries, one of which is Barbados. Three thousand people in each country participated in Victimization Surveys. Results show that a staggering 47% of crimes are unreported.
Many people are living with trauma that no one is seeking justice for.
2 Problem behaviors highlighted in the report:
- youth engaging in early sexual activity
- drinking alcohol
Both actions spur on violence in later life and exist at higher rates in the Caribbean.
How does this impact us?
Intimate partner violence, child abuse, and high murder rates indicate a blatant disregard for human life.
With this in mind let me announce that MD and I are collaborating to bring a “Love Better” campaign to life.
We will be performing at the Barbados GospelFest. As part of our trip to Barbados, we’ll conduct seminars at schools, churches, and community centers.
Topics will include:
Confronting the Pain of Sexual Abuse
Love and Justice
Disarming the Culture of Abuse in the Home
Our goal is providing sensitization on violence throughout the Caribbean because we all need to learn to love better!
We’d like to invite you to partner with us in support of the “Love Better” campaign. We have lodging, food, event materials, and transportation costs to cover. Any amount given would go directly toward our outreach efforts here in the Caribbean.
Would you consider investing in this event by being a donor?
You can send a gift through PayPal by clicking here
You can also pray for the men, women, and youth who will attend our seminars. Pray that our message, along with our positive music will impact lives and change hearts. Pray that we all learn to Love Better!
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[…] A few weeks ago I wrote about violence in the Caribbean. I believe that justice is the heart cry of each victim. […]