Droves of Baptists from all over the country converged in Montego Bay on February 21, 2019 to protest against Gender-based and other forms of Violence.

Decked in black, the demonstrators marched from the Calvary Baptist Church  to the historic Sam Sharpe Square protesting against the increasing acts of violence carrying placards that read: ‘No Means No’, ‘Enough is enough’, ‘Stop the Violence’, ‘Tell What You Know’ etc. In Sam Shape Square the protestors held a brief rally re-enforcing messages of solidarity, empowerment and hope for victims and challenged abusers to stop and recalibrate.

Later in the evening a Town Hall discussion on the same issue of Gender-based Violence was convened at the Calvary Baptist Church with panellists, Ms. Carla Moore, Dr. Patrick Prendergast and Ms. Novelette Grant. Moderated by Mrs. Marlene Stephenson Dalley, the conversation explored some of the intricacies of Gender-based violence and proposed actions that all of us as citizens can take to combat this scourge. Proposed steps included education and sensitization, advocacy and reconfiguring a narrative that will communicate positive models of socialization for males and females. There was also a strong sentiment that, on this journey, each person must become personally involved in the implementation of solutions and initiatives within the spaces in which we operate.