Detective Corporal Damion Hammond, Centre Manager for the Portmore Domestic Violence Intervention Centre said that it was important to break the back of cultural norms that perpetuate domestic violence.
“We need to break the back of some of these thinking and acceptance [physical abuse] that people gravitate towards because it is having a negative impact. People will be saying ‘after a little lick not killing anybody’ but we shouldn’t be putting our hands on anybody.”
He made the statement while addressing the Violence Prevention Alliance (VPA) Steering Committee Meeting in February where he was the guest speaker. He presented on the topic ‘Domestic Violence - The impact of Culture and Socialization’
He said some women still held the belief if their man do not beat them, that man does not love them. “But this is a cultural perspective where they have come to know so it is like nothing to them. Domestic violence is intimately related to socialization. Socialization is the learning process in which individuals are taught and internalize the models, values, social norms and behaviours that they are exposed to in their environment,” he explained.
He said one of these social norms taught to boys is to be strong and independent, preserve their ego and to obtain privileges and become intolerant of a situation.
“This holds true to even today because of how you were raised impacts on how you raise your own family and sometimes these upbringing are passed on unless at some stage you say that you do not think this is the correct way and this is how you want to do things,” he said.
Detective Corporal Hammond said that the Jamaica Constabulary Force was addressing reports of domestic violence through a multi-agency approach where the different government entities work together to guide victims of domestic violence to a referral pathway and to ensure that they get the necessary help and justice they need in their particular situation.
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