There are great fathers and stepfathers, in this world, this photo speaks volumes of a father’s love and ability to protect his young daughter. 

Hardbeatnews, LONDON, England, Fri. June 23, 2006: Global rights group, Amnesty International, is urging Jamaican authorities to take “decisive action” against discrimination and sexual violence against women in Jamaica

The call, made in a new report published yesterday, calls on authorities on the Caribbean island to prioritize the implementation of a 15-point action plan developed by women’s organizations across the country to fight discrimination and sexual violence against women and adolescent girls.

And they urge the Portia Simpson Miller government to pass legislative reforms, particularly regarding offences against the Person Act, the Sexual Harassment Bill, and the Incest Act, and for the improvement of investigation techniques and the establishment of gender-based training for police and judicial officials dealing with cases of sexual violence against women.

AI officials say they have found widespread discrimination against women in Jamaica that makes them targets of sexual violence and exposes them to serious health risks, including sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV/AIDS.

Amnesty International also found that girls are particular targets of sexual violence and that the Jamaican government has consistently failed to deal with the issue effectively.

The action plan, according to Amnesty, includes recommendations such as the development of a public education program aimed at preventing rape and sexual crimes, the introduction of a national campaign against discrimination and sexual violence and the establishment of a series of shelters to provide support and refuge for victims of sexual violence.

“Most of the recommendations of the Action Plan do not require extensive investment, only determination and political will,” said Kerrie Howard, deputy director of Amnesty International’s Americas Program. “Discrimination against women and girls is so entrenched in Jamaican society that many Jamaicans and government officials are failing to see it as a problem, even when it’s killing hundreds of women every year.”

The sexual assault investigations unit in Jamaica estimates that only 25 per cent of sexual violence is reported. The report quotes one victim who was raped at 13 as saying, “I didn’t tell anyone for six months then I told my parents. I asked dad not to do anything about it; that’s one thing I insisted on. I didn’t want anyone to know because even at that age I knew they would say it was my fault [and] I thought no one would believe me. I blamed myself and I thought I was foolish and so naive”- Hardbeatnews.com