Reggae Studies Director And Dennis Howard To Conduct Study On Jamaica’s ‘Culture Of Predators’
Director of the Reggae Studies Unit at the University of the West Indies, Dr. Sonjah Stanley Niaah and her academic compatriot, Dr Dennis Howard will be putting their heads together to conduct a fulsome study on whether or not Jamaica has what she calls a “culture of rape”.
On Monday, Dr. Niaah, who also heads the Institute of Caribbean Studies, said she had decided to take on the task of conducting the empirical research to examine the subject of sexual abuse, which, she described over and over as “pathological”.
“Are we any closer to the social scientists doing any serious study on whether #Jamaica has a ‘culture of #rape’? Look like me affi guh dweet miself and extend my work on the ‘culture of entitlement’ that I first spoke of here,” she posted on Twitter on Monday.
Are we any closer to the social scientists doing any serious study on whether #Jamaica has a ‘culture of #rape’? Look like me affi guh dweet miself and extend my work on the ‘culture of entitlement’ that I first spoke of here https://t.co/iZkmiAs1Ci
— Culture Doctor (@SonjahStanley) October 4, 2021
“Are we any closer? #rape #rapeculture #Jamaica #sexualabuse #incest,” she added on Instagram where she also shared the post.
In response, Dr. Howard, a renowned media manager, music producer, and managing director of the Institute of Cultural Policy and Innovation, told her: “Lets work on it together” to which she responded: “Yes! Sending draft paper”.
Her followers, among them several from academia, came out in strong support of the research, some contending that the English-speaking Caribbean island was awash with sexual reprobates.
“A very important and urgent situation that we should be investigating! It’s too pervasive in our culture!” eran8712 said.
“Destroyed many generations of women 😢 Horrors stories from all my aunts and my mother. its cancer in the culture,” lyoneyz18 added.
Another follower britishbrains took no prisoners, stating emphatically that Jamaica has a cesspool of predators who were lurking around, destroying the lives of the innocent.
“Jamaica has a culture of RAPE. Sexual abuse, incest misogyny from the lower spectrum to the echelons of our society, with enablers and those who turn a blind eye. This culture is rampant and has destroyed the lives of males and females. So the question is who going to BELL THIS MONSTER?” she declared.
In response, Dr. Niaah noted that in order to arrest the situation, efforts will have to be collective.
“@britishbrains Has to be supported by the policymakers, legal drafters, legislature, courts, entire judiciary, penal system and public education. Whewwww. 😢,” she lamented.
Other followers like iam.moniquemcintosh noted that Jamaica absolutely has “a culture of rape, and ownership over women & children’s bodies”, a statement which was endorsed by the university lecturer.
Another follower hiplomat, also had some ideas for conducting the research, which he said should include among other things, a psychological analysis.
“Rape culture as part of a larger culture of patriarchal violence, sexism and misogyny 💔 needs to be looked at in terms of historical inter-generational trauma and a severe lack of social cohesion, mental health funding and awareness 😢,” he wrote.
Dr. Niaah’s statements come in the wake of statements made by Reggae/Dancehall singer Tanya Stephens, who decried what she deemed Jamaica’s “Rape Culture” and concomitant “Code of Silence” especially when it comes on to rapes of little girls.
The St. Mary native said that she was raped by a top Reggae artist some 30 years ago, but this was only a microcosm of what she described as a cesspool of predatory behavior taking place across the country, which was where everyone’s focus should be.
In pointing how ingrained in the psyche of the nation the rape culture was, the After You singer had pointed to messages being subliminally and even overtly sent in music as evidence, which, she pointed out, continues to be deemed acceptable as it was the way of thinking of many Jamaicans.
“One night mi deh a Asylum (nightclub) enuh and di DJ put on Beenie chune Battery Dolly – mi love Beenie to death enuh and him know dis,” Tanya had explained in an Instagram Live video last week Friday.
“But yuh si when dem put on Battery Dolly – ‘six man back har dung last week Saturday, caw shi a battery dolly’. Das why dem back har dung? Cause she a battery dolly? Not because dem a rapist? Watch oonu language. Watch oonu language!’ she warned.
Writing in the Gleaner in an article titled The contribution of women to rape culture in September 2018, Dr. Michael Abrahams, a gynaecologist and obstetrician, noted that not only had “patriarchy and the misogynistic attitudes of males have fuelled the persistence of rape culture for centuries”, but that in most cases judgmental women enabled these types of behaviours .
“But an inconvenient truth is that women also play a significant role in sustaining its presence. If rape culture is to be fought successfully, there must not only be a change of attitude among men, but among women as well,” he had noted.