Activist tells men stop victim-blaming: 'Call out yuh bredrins'

KEVIN Liverpool, administrator for regional NGO Caribbean Male Action Network (CariMAN) has a message for men who witness other men demonstrating negative and/or abusive behaviours and attitudes towards women: "Call them out."

Liverpool was speaking at the UNTT's virtual panel discussion on Friday morning, which focused on how society can better serve victims and survivors of gender-based violence.

CariMAN's aim, according to the Caribbean Policy Development Centre, is to "challenge the existing social and cultural beliefs and norms around masculinity and advocate for equality and justice for all, by engaging men and boys and strengthening networks and alliances, with individuals and organisations that promote human rights, gender and environmental justice."

While acknowledging men can also be victims of abuse, he said when it comes to women, TT has a culture of victim-blaming by not just friends but family and "the wider society."

He said when there are "long, drawn-out (court) processes," it's common for the victim to become hopeless.

"That sense of hopelessness, or that sense of betrayal of trust in the system, can cause a person to revert to what they know – even if what they know is a toxic and abusive relationship.

"We have a situation that can reinforce in the victim's mind, in the survivor's mind, the belief that it is their fault and something in them needs to change. So those things may lead to a survivor attempting to stop the legal proceeding."

Asked what he wishes could be changed in TT when it comes to dealing with violence against women, he said, "I would like men to call out other men and interrupt behaviour and speech that can be hurtful. Silence is affirming and when we remain quiet, we really validate some negative and toxic views and we leave the burden on women again to interrupt this kind of behaviour.

"Call out yuh bredrins."