Letter of the Day | Hold perpetrators accountable for violence against women

THE EDITOR, Madam:

The alarming prevalence of violence against women and girls is made even more tragic by a culture that blames victims instead of holding perpetrators accountable. Rather than directing outrage at the men who commit these crimes, we often scrutinise the actions, appearance, or assumed motives of the victims. This harmful mindset not only perpetuates violence but also silences survivors and normalises abuse. To break this cycle, we must shift the blame to where it belongs, on the perpetrators, and create systems that protect, support, and believe women and girls.

When underaged girls are assaulted, people are quick to call them ‘greedy’ or assume they were seeking money, rather than holding adult men accountable. We must demand of our men to have the moral responsibility and courage to say no to such advances. This kind of response allows predators to hide behind social biases, and reinforces the belief that men are powerless against temptation, while girls are held responsible for their own abuse.

While the Jamaica Constabulary Force has updated its policy to allow for immediate reporting of missing persons, we still tend to assume the worst of the victims. Instead of treating these cases with urgency and compassion, the default assumption is often that the girl “ran away with a man”. This assumption delays rescue efforts and undermines the seriousness of the danger many of these girls face.

There are cases where young girls are in relationships with older men, sometimes even encouraged by their relatives to solicit financial favours. But these situations do not justify blanket assumptions. Each case deserves thoughtful investigation, not judgement rooted in misogyny. Recognising the structural and cultural roots of this violence can help us move from blaming individuals to addressing the systems that enable harm.

Solving this issue requires a collective effort. Public education campaigns must challenge harmful gender norms and teach consent and respect from an early age. Law enforcement officers need training to respond with sensitivity and neutrality. Stronger laws and swifter legal consequences are necessary; so is a cultural shift, one that validates survivors, demands justice, and dismantles the myth that women are responsible for their own victimisation. It is time to recognise that violence against women is not a matter of poor judgement by the victim; it is a crime, and the response should reflect that truth.

TOPHER ALLEN