source: www.hrw.orgJamaica: Police Violence Fuels AIDS Epidemic
(New York, November 16, 2004) - Widespread violence and discrimination against gay men and people living with HIV/AIDS in Jamaica is undermining government measures to combat the country’s fast-growing epidemic, Human Rights Watch said in a new report released today.
"Until Jamaica addresses the epidemic of homophobic violence, it will have no hope against the epidemic of HIV/AIDS. If the Jamaican government is serious about fighting the country’s AIDS epidemic, it should stop promoting brutality against gay men and lesbians and start protecting them from abuse."
Rebecca Schleifer, researcher with Human Rights Watch’s HIV/AIDS Program
The 79-page report, “Hated to Death: Homophobia, Violence, and Jamaica’s HIV/AIDS Epidemic,” documents extensive police persecution of people suspected of homosexual conduct, as well as sex workers and people living with HIV/AIDS. Gay men and people living with HIV/AIDS face serious violence, and are often forced to abandon their homes and communities. Health workers often provide them with inadequate healthcare or deny them treatment altogether.
Many people in Jamaica still believe that HIV is transmitted by air or casual contact. Widespread homophobia and discrimination are effectively undermining the government response to HIV/AIDS, Human Rights Watch said.
“Until Jamaica addresses the epidemic of homophobic violence, it will have no hope against the epidemic of HIV/AIDS,” said Rebecca Schleifer, researcher with Human Rights Watch’s HIV/AIDS Program and author of the report. “If the Jamaican government is serious about fighting the country’s AIDS epidemic, it should stop promoting brutality against gay men and lesbians and start protecting them from abuse.”
This man was beaten with sticks and cut with machetes by assailants who perceived that he was gay. Violent attacks against gay men are common in Jamaica. © 2004 Jamaica Forum for Lesbians, All-Sexuals, and Gays
Jamaica’s Ministry of Health has taken steps to combat discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS or at risk of contracting the virus. But discriminatory laws and state practices are undermining these important efforts. Jamaica’s Victorian-era sodomy laws, which criminalize consensual sex between adult men, are used to arrest “peer educators” who provide HIV/AIDS information and condoms to other gay men.
Police extort money and sex from gay men as well as sex workers, sometimes using the mere possession of condoms - a key tool in HIV prevention - as an excuse to harass or arrest both them and the AIDS educators who work with them. Discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS poses serious barriers to obtaining necessary medical care and drives many from seeking health services for themselves and their children.
An estimated 1.5 percent of Jamaican adults are living with HIV/AIDS, the third largest population of people living with HIV/AIDS in the Caribbean (after Haiti and the Dominican Republic). According to government figures, the epidemic is on the increase. In June, Jamaica launched an ambitious project to provide antiretroviral drugs to people living with HIV/AIDS and to address underlying human rights violations that are driving the epidemic.
“Jamaica’s ambitious HIV/AIDS programs are bound to fail unless the government eliminates the discriminatory laws and abusive practices that undermine its prevention and treatment efforts,” said Schleifer. “Protecting human rights is a matter of life and death for thousands of Jamaicans affected by AIDS.”
Human Rights Watch called on the Jamaican government to reform the criminal justice system to protect all citizens against torture and abuse. It also called on the government to repeal the sodomy law, end arrests and prosecutions based on adult consensual homosexual conduct, ensure protection of HIV/AIDS outreach workers, and protect people living with HIV/AIDS against discrimination.
Discrimination Hinders Fight Against HIV/AIDS Jamaica
- Thread starter Rick van Opbergen
- Start date
Jamaica is so horribly homophobic, so unbelievable. Thanks for posting this, Rick, I hadn't read anything omuch about this. I sure didn't realize that AIDS had hit Jamaica quite so hard.
Well, this thing concerned me a lot:
I think that is one of the things the Jamaican government should really focus on, to make clear how HIV/AIDS is transmitted. Maybe that can take away the hate for a part, or at least can it prevent ignorance among the general population and isolation of gay (wo)men and HIV/AIDS-patients.
Hello..
I am a Jamaican resident and I am greatly disturbed by the false report that the Human Rights Group has put out. For many years the Jamaican Government, concerned private and community groups, schools and the entertainment industry has been actively involved in educating Jamaicans on the HIV/AIDS virus and its prevention, treatment for HIV/AIDS infected victims, and conducted many fund raising activities aimed at continuing the work of reducing the number of cases of HIV/AIDS in the country.
The Human rights group's report takes the view that there is some link between most Jamaican's homophobic stands and the cases of HIV/AIDS in the country. That is utter rubbish. Jamaicans are being constantly informed about the causes of HIV/AIDS, treatment options and Counseling groups that are available to offer help. The fact that we are not receptive to homosexuality does not cause an increase in the number of cases of HIV/AIDS, in my opinion it helps to keep it from escalating. Our police force has been accused of many things but they don't drive around beating the hec out of gays. One picture of someone is no proof of anything.
I will say that I am totally against homosexuality and will continue to voice my opinion on the issue and my total disgust at the act. I will never support the suggestion to change our laws in Jamaica and to hell with the Human rights group for making the suggestion.
I SAY FLAMES AND FIRE
I am a Jamaican resident and I am greatly disturbed by the false report that the Human Rights Group has put out. For many years the Jamaican Government, concerned private and community groups, schools and the entertainment industry has been actively involved in educating Jamaicans on the HIV/AIDS virus and its prevention, treatment for HIV/AIDS infected victims, and conducted many fund raising activities aimed at continuing the work of reducing the number of cases of HIV/AIDS in the country.
The Human rights group's report takes the view that there is some link between most Jamaican's homophobic stands and the cases of HIV/AIDS in the country. That is utter rubbish. Jamaicans are being constantly informed about the causes of HIV/AIDS, treatment options and Counseling groups that are available to offer help. The fact that we are not receptive to homosexuality does not cause an increase in the number of cases of HIV/AIDS, in my opinion it helps to keep it from escalating. Our police force has been accused of many things but they don't drive around beating the hec out of gays. One picture of someone is no proof of anything.
I will say that I am totally against homosexuality and will continue to voice my opinion on the issue and my total disgust at the act. I will never support the suggestion to change our laws in Jamaica and to hell with the Human rights group for making the suggestion.
I SAY FLAMES AND FIRE
With all respect, I do believe what HRW has claimed. Yes, I don't live in Jamaica; yes, I've never been to Jamaica; yes, I've never even talked to a Jamaican. But I do know that HRW has no benefit with lieing about this.
PhantomX said:
Welcome PhantomX. I commend you on your ability to take a strong stand and voice your opinions. I always respect that, even when I strongly disagree with someone.
I am a lesbian and make no secret of it so when I read your views on homosexuality I thought, "Aha! An opportunity for a lively debate!"
Why are you so strongly opposed? And why does it matter so deeply to you what I do with my life?
Your position that being non-receptive to gays keeps HIV/AIDS from escalating is puzzling. How do you explain it? There is all kinds of documented proof that education is the only true way to keep the disease from spreading. Persecuting homosexuals only serves to cut them off from the education and health care, thus escalating the problem.
History itself shows that repression only works for so long. Read about the Stonewall riots of 1969 in New York ... a time will come when homosexuals say, "Enough!!". It seems to me the Jamaican policies on this issue are outdated and ineffective. It's the 21st century, for heaven's sake!
Anyway, I'm interested in hearing the reasoning behind your statements. Obviously neither you or I will change our stance, but sometimes understanding the other point of view can be beneficial to both. I'm a friendly dyke ... but have a very low tolerance for bs.
The "Flames and fire" comment I agree with ... but I figure it should be the bigots used to feed the flames.
peapod said:
Oh that's way too much! You're totally right. From whatever creditability this guy had by default to start off with, he actually went in the minus column with that one!
Jamaicans have always been a close-minded society, especially when it comes to homosexuality. Their government probably enforces it which leads to even more of these assholes in Canada! There's literally homes filled with hate-harbouring Jamaicans here in Toronto and if my government said to hell with them and finally deported all the illegals, I wouldn't flinch for a second.