By Robert A Emmanuel
The Directorate of Gender Affairs has launched an initiative aimed at reducing gender-based violence during the peak feting season in Antigua and Barbuda by engaging promoters and other actors in the entertainment sector.
At the Department of the Environment yesterday, the directorate’s Programme Officer, Raisa Charles, stated that gender-based violence is everybody’s business.
“It’s time that we begin to invest in it as such, and so that’s part of why we have conceptualised the ‘FeteSafe’ project [which] is the directorate’s way of partnering with promoters and other actors in the entertainment industry to help make that part of our culture safer, primarily for women and girls,” Charles said.
Yesterday, the directorate highlighted some of the aims of the initiative with event promoters and representatives from the Antigua and Barbuda Festivals Commission.
Annette Jackson, Attorney at law and Programme Officer at the directorate, remarked that, for the summer and winter period which typify the feting season, persons, especially women and girls, have reported a higher instance of sexual assaults.
“The peak season for these fetes runs between May and August and between December and January, coinciding with Carnival and Christmas respectively.
“Increased alcohol consumption, overcrowding and harmful cultural beliefs around women’s agency make these events a hotbed for crimes of gender-based violence, particularly sexual assault,” she explained.
During the 2023 Carnival season, persons on social media recounted numerous instances of sexual assault, including harassment and groping, which Jackson said was a reason why working with civil society, event promoters, DJs and entertainment personalities to call out sexual violence was important.
“Through the FeteSafe project, the directorate aims to increase awareness of the heightened risk for gender-based violence and sexual violence, its contributing factors and its effects, particularly against women and girls, during fete season, and stimulate behavioural change, resulting in a reduction of sexual violence nationally by providing our stakeholders with the tools and strategies to encourage a safe feting environment,” Jackson added.
The programme will mainly take the form of three-part sessions — culminating in a brainstorming session with promoters to create innovative ways to forge a safer environment.
Representative of the Antigua and Barbuda Festivals Commission, Okera Lee, spoke about the need for further inclusion in the project, including the disability association.
“Fetes are getting younger, promoters are promoting to younger persons, and we have to ensure that we have these conversations to begin to put things in place and ensure our democratic right to be a part of… socialisation, and all young girls and women should be safe to dress and behave in any way they choose,” Lee stated.
