So Here's What Happened !: May 2012

We cannot deny the lewdness of Dancehall music and that most of the lyrics being broadcasted are mostly about sex and violence. With that material being constantly fed to the Jamaican youth, it is not shocking that it will have adverse effects on their behavior.

According to Esther Tyson (2009),” Dancehall is a culture which impacts dress, fashion and body language; it influences attitude. Dancehall dress leaves little of the women’s bodies to the imagination. It is this mindset that is now affecting so many of our young people in school”.

The content of DANCEHALL music has not changed over the years, when listening to dancehall music of the 70’s and 80’s it was mostly about sex and ‘badmanism’, remember Super Cat, Shabba Ranks, Lady Saw?

These ‘educated adults’ who are now demonizing dancehall music, didn’t they listen to dancehall music in their days? If not, why was that? If dancehall music THEN didn’t affect them, how come? It's because parents at the time were more strict and ensured that outside factors did not greatly affect the upbringing they saw fit for their child. Ask the question, what has happened to parenting of yesteryear which had a strict approach on the growing of the youth?

I have no problem admitting that dancehall music has negative effects on the Jamaican youths, my problem lies where society places the blame solely on the music. While it does have negative effects, it is unjust to place all blame on it. Where are the parents? Who is it that’s raising our youth, the music or parents? Who is more responsible for our youths?

As I said before, dancehall music has NOT changed, dancehall of the 70’s and 80’s was about Sex, Sex and more sex, and it still is now, where were the complaints THEN?

“PROTECT OUR…CHILDREN! SAVE OUR…CHILDREN!” were the words which echoed throughout New Kingston on May 1^st, the beginning of Child’s month. After the shocking revelation some of the abuse faced by the Jamaican children, it sparked some quick action by Brandon Allwood and his team (Candiese Leveridge, Jaevion Nelson, K. Dominic McKenzie, Lonique Chin and Ricardo Brooks) in forming the advocacy group Help JA Children which is aimed at raising awareness about child abuse and helping Jamaica’s children. The first plan of ‘Help JA Children’ was to have a march and rally to shatter the silence and make their voices heard.

The march started at the Bustamante Children’s hospital where persons who took a keen interest in the cause, gathered to ‘shatter the silence’ about child abuse. The march went on to the Emancipation Park where persons assembled outside to make themselves seen and their voices heard by passersby. “Stop child abuse! Protect our Children! Love our Children!” were the chants which resonated through the city. The rally continued on inside the park where Claudette Pious lead advocate of Children First (A non-governmental organization) ,Carolyn Gomes from the Human Rights organization, Dr Pauline Mullings chairperson of the National Child's Month Committee, Greg Smith from the OCR (Office of the Children’s Registry), Marcia Wilson from NPTAJ (National Parent-Teacher Association of Jamaica) and also representatives from Jamaicans for Justice, CISOCA (The Centre for Investigation of Sexual Offenses & Child Abuse) and the UN all loaned their voices in spreading awareness of child abuse.

There was also a performance from 'Children's First' which highlighted two cases of child abuse. Sexual abuse (Father molesting his daughter) and Physical abuse (Mother beating her son)

Members of the entertainment fraternity were also in attendance and helped in urging supporters to break the silence, persons such as Voicemail, Denyque, Raine Seville, Ity & Fancy cat, Ishawna, Empress. Former Miss. Jamaica world/universe Yendi Phillips, reigning Miss. Jamaica Danielle Crosskill along with the 2012 Miss. Jamaica contestants all played a part in the march to help save the Jamaican Children.

As stated by the ‘Help JA Children’ organization, “This is only the beginning”. The aim of the march was to raise awareness in the fight against child abuse. It’s only the start of plans which are already in the works to help protect our children. Here is a part of the speech from Chief advocate of ‘Help JA Children’, Brandon Allwood where he spoke about child abuse and some of the plans of organization.

The children are our future and if we sit back and do nothing while they are being abused, there will be no future or a future not worth looking forward to. Children have a right to be safe and protected from abuse, neglect, exploitation and discrimination. They have a right to be children. It is the duty of society to ensure that each and every child is protected from harm, play your part in helping a child, if you know of a child who is being abused or you SUSPECT is being abused, call 1-888-PROTECT and report the matter. Do your part in saving a child’s life. Help JA’s Children, Shatter the silence.

Scenes from the Help JA Children's march & Rally