Men’s Health Groups from polyclinics across Barbados came together with the Barbados Professional Women’s (BPW) Club yesterday to relaunch and recommit to raising awareness about violence perpetrated against women.
The discussion and rally was held at Bagnall’s Point Gallery, Pelican Village, St Michael, and was well attended by both sexes.
While delivering remarks, Minister of Health Donville Inniss applauded the efforts so far and requested that the message be taken into the community.
He also commended men for actively taking part in the campaign to urge their counterparts to speak out about all forms of violence perpetrated against women.
“Usually when you hear about domestic violence it is women battling for women. Men are usually the ones out there who are being bastardised and villified as the culprits and the ones who inflict such grievous bodily harm and mental abuse.
“So, it is really heartwarming to know that today, Barbados can be part of a movement that recognises the importance of men talking with men about the issue of domestic violence.
“Go to young men wherever they are; they are not hostile, they are willing to listen to you and willing to engage you in some of the most constructive discussion,” he said.
Inniss also charged those involved in the cause take into consideration changing gender roles and the pressures this could create, when seeking to address domestic violence.
“I meet many men in this society who are not capable of dealing with the reality that women earn more than they are earning, who feel that they cannot keep up with the success of women and, therefore, feel that they are somewhat, “a boy in the yard”.
“Sometimes it’s the women who may make the men feel that way and sometimes the men react [in] a certain way because they feel that they do not have the earning capacity and the power that comes with it,” surmised Inniss.
He put on record his pleasure that there was now a forum where people, particularly men, could discuss domestic violence.
“Domestic abuse and violence tends to rear its ugly head particularly when the victim feels as though they have no recourse, no place to go for comfort, for protection, for some sense of solitude, and for counselling for the person who is inflicting the abuse upon them.
“Barbados is indeed a society that often times likes to keep things like this rather quiet . . . but the debate must continue,” said Inniss. (BGIS)