Equality Bahamas says minister must go over comments (The Tribune)

Press

Dec. 29, 2017 – The Tribune

Equality Bahamas featured in The Tribune on December 29, 2017.

From The Tribune:

Equality Bahamas (EB) lambasted Mrs Rolle over her stance in a press statement yesterday, pointing out it demonstrated Mrs Rolle was ill-suited for the job.

The group said Mrs Rolle’s appointment to the post was an insult to Bahamian women given her public opposition to the 2016 gender equality referendum, and questioned whether the move was “sinisterly strategic” given the ministerial portfolio includes oversight of the Department of Gender and Family Affairs.

EB also said Mrs Rolle’s remarks represented a de-facto response to UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women, Dubravka Šimonović’s charge that marital rape is the most pressing gender-based issue in the country.

It called for solidarity from all women’s rights organisations and advocates to join in clearly stating that rape is not a private matter, and expressed concerns about the activity, or lack thereof, of the ministry’s Department of Gender and Family Affairs.

The statement described the tendered resignation of its director Gaynel Curry as “unsettling,” and intimated the move was “possibly linked to the minister’s unacceptable positions on issues of relevance and import, and her influence on processes within the Department.”

“No member of Parliament or Cabinet minister has the right to disagree with the actual definition of rape which is currently not reflected in the Sexual Offences Act, ignore the trauma it causes, or influence legislation and policy by placing personal beliefs and preferences above the human rights to which all Bahamians are entitled,” EB noted.

“Minister Lanisha Rolle is unfit for her position, and must resign or be ousted by the parties responsible for her appointment should they have integrity and the ability to understand and promote the fact that women are human beings deserving of all human rights including protection from violence and access to justice.”

The EB statement continued: “In her comment, Rolle revealed her opinion that marital rape is not an act of violence. This made clear, yet again, her lack of understanding of gender-based violence and discrimination. Her appointment to the Ministry of Social Services and Urban Development — likely motivated by traditional gender roles and distribution of ‘soft portfolios’ to women — was ill-advised and underscored the flippancy with which the current administration regards women’s rights.”

[…]

“To support women’s rights,” EB noted, “one must support all rights for all women, regardless of socioeconomic status, age, marital status, or any other identity marker. It is abhorrent, and perhaps sinisterly strategic, to appoint a non-supporter of women’s rights to the ministry with oversight of the Department and Gender and Family Affairs.”

Equality Bahamas’ stance joins calls for Mrs Rolle to step down from Rights Bahamas, and staunch condemnation from leading women’s rights activist attorney and United Nations expert Marion Bethel.

“As evidenced by official report and word of mouth, (Mrs Rolle) is unprepared to carry out the mandate of the Department of Gender and Family Affairs, or even to address the Bahamian people or respond to the media regarding the progress — and regression as is the case with the discontinued RISE programme — of the department,” EB also noted.

Bahamas Support for Latoya Nugent (The Bahamas Weekly)

Press

Mar. 16, 2017 – The Bahamas Weekly

Hollback! Bahamas featured in The Bahamas Weekly on March 16, 2017.

From The Bahamas Weekly:

Nassau, Bahamas – Thousands of women in seven Caribbean countries participated in the #ReclaimOurStreets march of regional solidarity on March 11, 2017 as part of the #LifeInLeggings movement which started with the sharing of stories on social media.

The following is a press statement submitted by two organizations and 6 individuals from The Bahamas:

We celebrated the success of Tambourine Army’s Survivor Empowerment March and its positive impact on women and girls in Jamaica. The Bahamas, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Jamaica, Dominica, Barbados, and Trinidad and Tobago all exceeded the worldwide average for rape according to the 2007 report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the Latin America and the Caribbean Region of the World Bank. Gender-based violence is a pervasive issue throughout the region, and women — survivors, advocates, and leaders — continue to work toward its eradication.

On March 14, 2017, we received news of the arrest of WE-Change Executive Director and Tambourine Army Co-founder Latoya Nugent by members of the Counter-Terrorism and Organized Crime Division of the Jamaica Constabulary Force and the charge of “use of a computer for malicious communication” under the Cybercrimes Act. We have learned that this is a direct result of her response to sexual violence against women, naming survivor-identified perpetrators. It is our understanding that one named person has used personal connections and power to intimidate and victimize a self-identified Black Feminist Lesbian.
Latoya Nugent has amplified the voices of survivors of sexual abuse. Her work is critical to the eradication of sexual violence in Jamaica, and essential to sustainable effort to rid the Caribbean of gender-based violence. We support Tambourine Army’s radical social justice work to protect women and girls, fight for justice, and create an environment conducive to the healing of survivors.

We call for state condemnation of the abuse of human rights defenders and overt state commitment to the protection of their right to “enjoy all social, economic, political and other rights and freedoms in practice” and to “take all necessary measures to ensure the protection of everyone against any violence, threats, retaliation, adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action” as stated in the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders. The law must not become a perpetrator’s weapon, used to silence survivors or their advocates. We demand state recognition and redress of the stigma and discrimination experienced by victims of sexual violence, particularly when attempting to report. There is a need for protection of survivors from criminalization and (re-)victimization, and we call upon the state to work with civil society to develop the necessary policies and systems.

We stand in solidarity with Latoya Nugent, recognize the power and importance of her work, and with her family, colleagues, and community. We encourage all allies in Jamaica, the Caribbean, and the world to not just stand with her, but join her in this most necessary work of providing safe spaces, ongoing support, and access to justice for survivors of rape and all forms of sexual violence. We join our voices to the statement from Caribbean People of Canada and the U.S. in support of women organizing against sexual abuse in the region.

Marion Bethel
Fran Dillet
Erin Greene
Equality Bahamas
Hollaback! Bahamas
Noelle Nicolls
Audrey Roberts
Alicia Wallace

Bahamian organizations and individuals are encouraged to sign the statement by using this form:

Bahamas Support for Latoya Nugent

Bahamas to Participate in “Reclaim Our Streets” Regional March (The Bahamas Weekly)

Mar. 3, 2017 – The Bahamas Weekly

Hollaback! Bahamas and Equality Bahamas featured in The Bahamas Weekly, March 3, 2017.

From The Bahamas Weekly: 

Seven marches in seven Caribbean countries will bring hundreds of people together to break silence on sexual violence on Saturday, March 11. Hollaback! Bahamas, powered by Equality Bahamas, is the organizer of the march taking place in Nassau, Bahamas at 2pm.

The march will start from the Potter’s Cay parking lot west of the Paradise Island bridge at 2pm and end at The Dundas Centre for the Performing Arts grounds. Participants are invited to stay on the grounds for the Tiny Talk Speaker Series and Expo which will include a story-sharing section, yoga, condom demonstrations, and art therapy workshops. Several organizations — including Bahamas Crisis Centre, The Family: People Helping People, Bahamas Sexual Health & Rights Association, and Cosmosis Institute — will make a variety of services and information available on-site.

“We’re focusing on the power of story-sharing, creating a safe space for dialogue, and working toward the healing of survivors. There will be a wealth of resources in one space, and we invite women and girls to access and engage with them,” said Alicia Wallace, Director of Hollaback! Bahamas.

Organized by Life In Leggings: Caribbean Alliance Against Gender-based Violence, this event comes on the heels of the #LifeInLeggings movement on social media. Started in Barbados, the hashtag got the attention of women throughout the region who shared their stories of sexual violence. Reclaim Our Streets supports survivors of sexual violence, calls on authorities to address the issue with legislation, policy, and programming, and provides the general public with tools to take action.

Founder Ronelle King said, “It’s important that we come together and pledge to end violence against women and girls. Let us look toward the future and make necessary societal changes that begin with ourselves and those around us so that the women and girls yet to come never have to experience what we have. Let us unite the Caribbean to change the statistic from 1 in 3 to none in 3.”

Hollaback! Bahamas invites offices, service organizations, church groups, and families to take to the streets in solidarity with women and girls in The Bahamas and the Caribbean who have experienced sexual violence and join in the call for justice, support, and an end to gender-based violence.

Equality Bahamas Partnership Coordinator Lisa Lawlor-Feller said, “It’s encouraging to see so many organizations and individuals coming together in a regional movement for gender equality. I’m looking forward to the day’s events and helping to sustain the conversations actions they spark within our community.”

The event will be hosted by Media Personality and TV Talk Show Host Leslie Lezz Boogie with music provided by DJ Ampero. Hollaback! Bahamas and Equality Bahamas extend an invitation to members of the public to participate in the afternoon events.

Limited space is available in the speaker series and expo. Organizations, experts, and practitioners may express interest via email to bahamas@ihollaback.org.

Watch footage from the #ReclaimOurStreets March that took place March 11, 2017 below.

 

Alicia Wallace talks with Erin Greene on Bill #4 (The Bahamas Weekly)

Press

Jun. 3, 2016 – The Bahamas Weekly

Alicia Wallace, founder and co-director of Equality Bahamas and Hollaback! Bahamas featured in The Bahamas Weekly on June 3, 2016.

From The Bahamas Weekly:


Bill #4: To add “sex” to the prohibited grounds for discrimination in Article 26 of the constitution which currently lists race, place of origin, political opinions, color and creed; has an exclusionary clause which allows for discrimination in legislation on, among others, taxation, adoption, marriage, divorce, and burial.

In the exercise dubbed the “gender equality referendum”, bill four has been the cause for much concern in The Bahamas, particularly among (pseudo-) religious, homophobic people, and unabashed misogynists. The most fear-inducing claim in the country has been that bill four – adding “sex” to the prohibited grounds for discrimination – would lead to same-sex marriage. This is easily refuted by reference to Article 26(4)(c) which permits discrimination where marriage is concerned, allowing the exclusion of same-sex couples from the definition of marriage to continue.
Saving the conversation on homophobia, intolerance, and marriage inequality for another time, it is important to consider the position of the LGBT community as represented by longtime advocate Erin Greene. Short memories, poor reporting, and fear mongering have unfairly edited the events of the past two years resulting in an inaccurate narrative regarding Green’s position. Contrary to reckless claims, she is neither trying to trick the general public into voting yes (by saying she will vote no), nor denying the relevance of bill four to the LGBT community. It is also worth noting that she is not flip-flopping on the issue, and the change in her position only came after a change to the bill itself.

A brief history
When the referendum was announced in 2014, Erin Greene fully supported the four proposed constitutional amendment bills as they were then written. When concern about the impact of bill four on marriage was raised by Member of Parliament for Long Island Loretta Butler-Turner in August 2014, it became an oft used red herring. Politicians, religious leaders, and the general public grew increasingly concerned about the word “sex” and its meaning.

Greene said, “Entrenching the principle of non-discrimination on the basis of sex is good for LGBT people, but this does not rely on the judiciary interpreting sex to mean sexual orientation. We rely on the fact that LGBT discrimination is sex-based discrimination.”

While it does not mean the state sanctions or will sanction same-sex marriage, Greene agrees that adding sex to the prohibited grounds for discrimination in Article 26 would protect LGBT people from discrimination in the law, not including the Martrimonial Causes Act.

On the heels of the red flags anxiously waved around the word “sex”, religious leaders effectively stalled the process, using their power to force the government into lengthy consultation. Fears mounted with the public unsure of what the bills would look like when presented again. It was during this time that Greene stated her position on potential provisos that became part of public discourse. She said that she would not support the bill if coupled with a ban on same-sex marriage, defined sex as male or female, or used the term “at birth”. When the bills were finally made public again, it was with sex defined as male or female. At this point, she withdrew her support for bill #4.

Read the rest of the article at the link above. 

Bahamian women’s and human rights activists sign proclamation against #SlutShaming (The Bahamas Weekly)

Press

Oct. 23, 2015 – The Bahamas Weekly

Equality Bahamas and Hollaback! Bahamas sign proclamation against slut shaming published in The Bahamas Weekly on October 23, 2015.

From The Bahamas Weekly:

Nassau, Bahamas – (Statement – October 21) In light of the recent personal attacks against Candia Dames, Managing Editor of the Nassau Guardian, we, the collective of women’s rights and human rights activists, vehemently condemn all who would perpetuate one of the most predictable, yet degrading tactics used by male chauvinists to diminish the worth of women, smear their character and silence them through intimidation. These tactics are acts of violence against women.

The practice of invoking a woman’s private relationships and inferring that she is a “slut” as artillery against her professional credibility is rooted in the purposeful manipulation of context in order to discredit and discriminate. This malicious behaviour is made possible because of the misplaced belief that a woman’s sexuality is something to be ashamed of and the false perception that a woman should know her role and stay in her lane. It is also rooted in a double standard that affirms the sexuality of men, while demeaning the sexuality of women. This double standard is one of the greatest hypocrisies of our age.

The practice of shaming a woman because of one’s perception of her sexual practices, popularly known as #SlutShaming, needs to end. A person’s sexual history and sexuality is a part of their private life; it is not a matter of public record and should not be available for public consumption regardless of how high profile the person may be. Anyone who thinks this is an acceptable attack on one woman, will find this is an unacceptable affront to all women. And we stand united in our condemnation.

We are fed up with this appalling behaviour being considered acceptable particularly by our fellow citizens in positions of power and influence. It is not acceptable. This is an example of the lingering inequality that demands continued collective action to transform our society through behaviour change.

We stand resolutely under the protection of our Bahamian Constitution, The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, The U.N. Convention to End All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and the Belém do Pará Convention. Article 12 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, states: “No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.”

We call on our fellow citizens to be more conscious of their actions and to refrain from the perpetuation of violence against women.

 

Signed,

 

Terneille Burrows, Donna Nicolls, Noelle Nicolls, Teran Nicholls, Erin Greene, Dr. Sandra Dean Patterson, Nicolette Bethel, Marion Bethel, Dr. Novia Carter, Stephen B. Aranha, Kathy Ingraham, Paco Nunez, Patrina Khoo Farquharson, Wayne Farquharson, Amanda Coulson, Ruth Bowe Darville, Alicia Wallace, Stacey Moultrie, Audrey Roberts, Annick Brennen, Stephen Hanna, Sharrah Moss-Hackett, Simmone Bowe, LaGloria Davis, Sharon Cleare, Don Sargent, Jasper Williams-Ward, Ted Forbes, Crystal Darling, Gwendolyn Knowles, Sam Duncombe, Randy Rahming, Jamie Forbes, Alexander Sargent, Prodesta Moore, Beaumont Todd, Juliette Patterson, Susan Glinton, Sarah Kirkby, Louby Georges, Glenn Major, Therena Cunningham, Phillipa Farrington, Glendina Joseph, Gregory A Collie II, M’Wale Rahming, Bahamas Women’s Watch, Rise Bahamas, Bahamas Crisis Centre, S.T.R.A.W. Inc. Center for Young Women, Bahamas Against Sexual Violence & Child Abuse, Equality Bahamas, Hollaback! Bahamas, World Merit Bahamas, Citizens for Constitutional Equality (CCE), SASS (Smart and Strong Sisterhood)

Bill Cosby show at Atlantis (The Tribune)

Press

Nov. 24, 2014 – The Tribune

Alicia Wallace, director of Hollaback! Bahamas publishes a press release in The Tribune on November 24, 2014.

From The Tribune:

Hollaback! Bahamas was utterly dismayed to learn that proceeds of the Bill Cosby event held in the Atlantis Live Theatre would help to fund a women’s safe house. Whether or not Cosby has been tried and found guilty, rape allegations and the dignity of those reporting them must be taken seriously.

As a part of a global movement and non-profit organisation rooted in storytelling, our mandate is to honour the stories of the people who share them, support them through the process, stand in the gap for them to demand justice and respect, and direct them to available resources. As such, it is necessary to have this conversation both openly and honestly.

While Cosby refuses to comment, women continue to come forward to share their painful, personal stories, igniting a global dialogue about sexual assault, issues of reporting, power dynamics, the law – specifically the statute of limitations – and victim shaming.

One might expect greater sensitivity and responsibility from organisations operating in The Bahamas where sexual assault is a scourge of society, suffered by many who maintain their silence.
The Bahamas had the highest per capita rate of rape in the world according to the 2007 UN/World Bank report on crime, and continues to see abuse of power manifested as sexual assault. The country continues to see the abuse of power by men, parents and guardians, caretakers, and religious leaders. In 2011, for example, former Bishop Randy Fraser was found guilty of unlawful sex with a 16-year-old girl he was counseling.

Perhaps the 2002 vote against making marital rape illegal should have been an indicator of the Bahamian people’s view of consent, body autonomy, and male privilege. The non-joke about domestic abuse by Leslie Miller, MP in the House of Assembly earlier this year and the (lack of) public response was certainly another clear indicator of the willingness of the Bahamian people to ignore the ongoing violations of human rights and the law.

As we continue to lobby for a sexual offenders court, an amber alert system for missing children, and a sexual offenders registry, more is expected of civic organisations and individuals who purport to be proponents and advocates of human rights, equality, and justice. We must all be held to a higher standard.

It is unfathomable to Hollaback! Bahamas that the use of proceeds from the comedy show to fund a women’s safe house could possibly pay penance to survivors of sexual assault who have reported, have not reported, and continue to consider reporting crimes against them.

How could one seek refuge in a place that is partly funded by 90 minutes of jokes from a man accused of rape by more than 15 women? We are unable to reconcile the two, and do not believe any woman should ever have to do so. TV Land, NBC and Netflix will not force their viewers to choose. Why should a safe house force those who seek refuge to make such a moral decision? Why would a local women’s organisation choose to play an active role in what could be Cosby’s honeymoon phase?

It is our hope that the unnamed organisation raising money for a safe house will reject funds from this event as a matter of respect for survivors of sexual assault and the sanctity of their relationship with them.

ALICIA WALLACE

Director, Hollaback!

Nassau,

November 24, 2014