This document provides a baseline assessment of gender-based violence in Jamaica. It outlines the research objectives, which include documenting prevalence and nature of violence against women, the legal framework, main stakeholders, and capacity gaps. The methodology includes a review of secondary data and primary data collection through focus groups and interviews. Key findings include high reported levels of domestic violence, rape, and missing persons. Several government ministries and civil society organizations work to address gender-based violence, but there are gaps in coordination and resources that hinder effective responses.

1. Task Force on Violence Against
Women of the Inter-Agency Network
on Women and Gender Equality
JAMAICA
BASELINE COUNTRY ASSESSMENT
GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE

2. 2
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
 The Assessment is intended to document:
1. The prevalence and nature of violence against women
2. The policy and legal framework in place to address violence against women
3. The main stakeholders working on the issue of violence against women
4. The delivery and capacity gaps that hinder effective service delivery and
implementation of laws and policies on violence against women.
5. The attitudes, beliefs and practices of young males regarding sexual and
reproductive health
6. The status of male intervention programmes linked to the prevention of
gender-based violence and the promotion of positive sexual and reproductive
health behaviours

3. 3
Research Design
METHODOLOGY – PHASE ONE
 Review of secondary data around contextual
issues of gender-based violence in Jamaica,
including:
1. Its prevalence and nature
2. The legal and policy implementation framework in
place to address the issue of gender-based violence
3. The main stakeholders involved in addressing gender-
based violence
4. The capacity gaps that hinder effective service delivery
and policy implementation.

4. 4
Research Design
METHODOLOGY – PHASE TWO
 Collection of primary data, through focus group
discussions and in-depth elite interviews.
1. Focus group discussions, with males 14 - 24:
 11 from Kingston
 15 from Spanish Town
2. Elite Interviews, with eight stake-holder
organizations, which provide services to victims
and survivors of gender-based violence
 7 from Kingston
 1 from Montego Bay

5. 5
Research Design
 Challenges and Opportunities
CHALLENGES
1. A lack of a conceptual clarity
2. A coordinated approach to GBV
3. Access to information
4. Time
OPPORTUNITIES
1. A comprehensive working definition of GBV
2. The implementation of a coordinated approach to
addressing issues of GBV and VAW in Jamaica

6. 6
Gender Based Violence
 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORKS
TRADITIONAL
APPROACH
FOCUS:
1. Symptomatic
Treatments of GBV
2. Descriptive data
3. Intervention Strategies
aimed at sensitization
TRANSFORMATIVE
APPROACH
FOCUS:
1. GBV within the context
of societal violence
2. Understandings of
masculinity
3. GBV as reflective of
inequality

7. 7
Understanding Gender Based Violence
Gender-based Violence can be used to distinguish
violence that targets individuals or groups of individuals on
the basis of their gender, from other forms of violence and
is largely indicative of historically unequal power
relations between [different groups of] men and
women
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR),
http://www.unfpa.org/swp/2005/english/ch7/index.htm

8. 8
Defining Gender Based Violence
 THE GLOBAL CONTEXT
Any act that results in, or is likely to result in,
physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to
women, including threats of such acts, coercion or
arbitrary deprivations of liberty, whether occurring in
public or in private life….encompasses acts of
physical, sexual, and psychological violence in the
family, community, or perpetrated or condoned by the
State, wherever it occurs.
UN Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women (1993), Articles 1 and 2

9. 9
Defining Gender Based Violence
 THE GLOBAL CONTEXT
1. The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination (1979)
2. The Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action (1992)
3. UN Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against
Women (1993)
4. Special Rapporteur on violence against women (1994)
5. The Beijing Platform for Action (1995)
6. The UN Millennium Project (2002)

10. 10
Defining Gender Based Violence
 THE CARIBBEAN / JAMAICAN CONTEXT
CARIBBEAN
1. The Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment
and Eradication of Violence Against Women, (The Convention of
Belem Do Para)
2. Caribbean Community Charter of Civil Society
3. CARICOM Model Legislation
JAMAICAN
1. National Gender Policy
2. Jamaica Vision 2030 National Development Plan

11. 11
Contextualising Gender Based Violence
 JAMAICA COUNTRY PROFILE
Population 2,682,100
- 1,321,600 (Male)
- 1,360,500 (Female)
Population density 259 People
(per sq. km. of land area)
Urban Population 50.1%
-Kingston / St. Andrew
(24.7%)
-St. Catherine (18.5%)
-St. James (6.9%)
Life expectancy 73.59 Years
- 71.88 (Males)
- 75.38 (Females)
Maternal Mortality 106.2
(per 100,000 births)
Total Literacy rate 87.9%
- 84.1 % (Males)
- 91.6 % (Females)
Public Expenditure
(Of Total Budget
of 380,365 Million J$)
-Security Services: 31.4
-Education & Culture: 47.6
-Health:19.8
-Social Security: 3.71

12. 12
Contextualising Gender Based Violence
1,000
1,100
1,200
1,300
1,400
1,500
1,600
1,700
2006 2007 2008
Murder Shooting Rape & Carnal

13. 13
Contextualising Gender Based Violence
41
163
11
28
295
163
52
21
29
214
51
33
641

14. 14
Contextualising Gender Based Violence
0
200
400
600
800
1,000
1,200
1,400
1,600
1,800
Reported 1,340 1,341 1,142 1,574 1,441 1,106 1,611 1,525 1,236
Cleared Up 625 601 644 534 575 625 512 541 632
Murder Shooting Rape/Carnal Murder Shooting Rape/Carnal Murder Shooting Rape/Carnal
2006 2007 2008

15. 15
Contextualising Gender Based Violence
Perpetrator
Male Female
96.10% 3.90%
99.57% 0.43%
98.66% 1.34%
100.00% 0.00%
100.00% 0.00%
Victim
Male Female
90.66% 9.34%
91.28% 8.72%
67.50% 32.50%
0.00% 100.00%
0.00% 100.00%
Crime
Murder
Shooting
Robbery
Rape
Carnal

16. 16
Incidence of Gender Based Violence
 DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 4500
Domestic Related Murders
Assault
Wounding
2007 70 4413 4036
2006 61 3086 3161
Domestic Related Murders Assault Wounding

17. 17
Incidence of Gender Based Violence
 RAPE, INCEST and CARNAL ABUSE
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
1,000
Reported 931 377 27 860 409 42 638 346 19 708 434 40 679 427 32
Cleared Up 521 217 22 404 230 32 289 175 8 357 287 32 345 280 30
Rape Carnal Incest Rape Carnal Incest Rape Carnal Incest Rape Carnal Incest Rape Carnal Incest
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

18. 18
Incidence of Gender Based Violence
 TRAFFICKING
Other
28.80%
Inadequate financial support
for children
20.80%
Desire for a better job
22.10%
Poverty and unemployment
27.30%

19. 19
Incidence of Gender Based Violence
 MISSING PERSONS
Female
63%
814 Persons
Male
37%
484 Persons

20. 20
Incidence of Gender Based Violence
 OTHER FORMS of VIOLENCE
1. Economic
2. Emotional
3. Sexual Harassment

21. 21
International and Local GBV Protocol
Convention/Agreement
International
Body/Agency
Year of
Establish
ment
Year of
Ratification
Reporting
Period
Year of
latest report
Reporting
Agency
The Inter-American
Commission of Women (CIM)
Organization of
American States
(OAS)
1928 Every two (2)
years.
2008 Bureau of
Women’s Affairs
The Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination Against Women
(CEDAW)
United Nations
(UN)
1979 1984 At least every
four (4) years.
2006 Bureau of
Women's Affairs
Convention on the Rights of
the Child (CRC)
United Nations -
UNICEF
1990 1991 At least every
five (5) years
and whenever
the Committee
so requests.
2003 Child
Development
Agency
Inter-American Convention
on the Prevention,
Punishment and Eradication
of Violence Against Women
(Convention of Belem do
Para)
Inter-American
Commission on
Human Rights
(IACHR) -
Organization of
American States
(OAS)
1994 2005 As instructed. 2009 Bureau of
Women's Affairs

22. 22
International and Local GBV Protocol
Convention/Agreement
International
Body/Agency
Year of
Establishment
Year of
Ratification
Reporting
Period
Year of
latest
report
Reporting
Agency
The International
Conference on
Population and
Development (ICPD)
United Nations -
UNFPA
1994 Every five (5)
years.
The Beijing Platform
for Action
United Nations (UN) 1995 Every five (5)
years.
2009 Bureau of
Women’s Affairs
Convention against
Transnational
Organized Crime and
Optional Protocol
United Nations (UN) 2000 2003 As instructed.
The Millennium
Development Goals
(MDGs)
United Nations (UN) 2000 Annually. 2009 Planning Institute
of Jamaica
Convention on the
Rights of Persons
with Disabilities
United Nations (UN) 2006 2007 At least every
four (4) years
and whenever
the Committee
so requests.
Not yet
due
Jamaica Council
for Persons with
Disabilities

23. 23
International and Local GBV Protocol
Name of Legislation
Year
Implemented
Year
Amended
Provisions
Domestic Violence Act 1995 2004
Provides redress to victims of domestic violence through occupation and
protection orders.
Child Care and Protection
Act
2004
Recognizes and enforces the survival, protection and developmental rights of
Jamaca's children under the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Incest (Punishment) Act 1948
Provides punishment for persons (male or female) found to have had sexual
intercourse with/carnal knowledge of a close relative.
Offences Against the Person
Act
1864
Provides punishment for persons convicted of rape in terms of abduction and
defilement of women and girls.
Trafficking in Persons
(Prevention, Suppression
and Punishment) Act
2007
Makes provisions to prevent human trafficking, protect victims and punish
persons involved.
Sexual Offences Bill (2008)
Currently being
debated in
Parliament.
Already passed
in House of
Representatives
Tabled in Parliament in 2008 and seeks to bring under one umbrella, the various
laws relating to rape, incest and other sexual offences.

24. 24
Stakeholders and Service Providers
SECTOR AGENCY Implementing Agency PROGRAMME
GOVERNMENT
Ministry of Youth,
Sport and Culture
The Bureau of Women’s Affairs (BWA) The Bureau plays a key advocacy role: active in the area
of law reform regarding violence against women,
eg. Draft National Sexual Harassment Policy, Domestic
Violence Act.
Ministry of National
Security
Centre for the Investigation of Sexual
Offences and Child Abuse (CISOCA)
Specialised unit designed to create an atmosphere that
encourages victims to make reports; effectively investigate
complaints of sexual assault and child abuse, provide an
avenue for counselling and therapy services for victims
and to conduct outreach work in public schools aimed at
securing behaviour change by exposing youth
to information regarding sex crimes and abuse.
The Witness Protection Programme The programme seeks to offer protection for these
witnesses and provide support for the functioning of the
wider criminal justice system.
The Citizens Security and Justice
Programme (CSJP)
Does not specifically address the issue of GBV though it
touches on the area by addressing issues around
community policing. Programme engages civil
society organisations such as Sistren Theatre Collective
The National Task Force Against
Trafficking in Persons (NATFATIP)
Established in 1995 in order to monitor and coordinate
responses to the situation of human trafficking.

25. 25
Stakeholders and Service Providers
SECTOR AGENCY Implementing Agency PROGRAMME
GOVERNMENT
Ministry of
Justice
The Attorney-General’s Department Under the provisions of the Domestic Violence Act
(2004), women victims of domestic violence may apply
through the court system for a protection order.
Jamaican police officers are also empowered to apply
for protection orders on behalf of a child or dependent
person who is in a domestic violence situation.
The Office of the Director of Public
Prosecutions
The Resident Magistrates Courts
(Family Court)
The High Court and Court of Appeal
Ministry of
Education
PALS, ‘Change from Within’
National Youth Service (NYS), In 2006, NYS launched a media sensitization campaign
on gender-based violence, to turn national attention to
the problem and to ultimately
change behaviour.
Ministry of
Health
Public Hospitals Providing direct point-of-entry services for victims of
domestic violence

26. 26
Stakeholders and Service Providers
SECTOR Implementing Agency PROGRAMME
CIVIL
SOCIETY
Woman Incorporated
(Woman Inc.)
A private, charitable non-profit organisation which actively deals with problems relating to rape, incest and
domestic violence. Services offered include: the Crisis Centre; the Crisis Shelter for Women; 24-hour hotline
which provides advice and counselling for persons affected by domestic violence.
Sistren Theatre
Collective (STC
Independent women’s organization, established in 1977 to use artistic expression as a means of inciting social
change.
Women’s Media
Watch
WMW is active in the promotion of gender equity and gender-aware media and communications. WMW applies
a multi-pronged programme of work that includes training and professional development seminars, media
literacy, conflict resolution workshops, research, public education and advocacy.
Women’s Resource
and Outreach Centre
(WROC)
A community-based women’s organisation that focuses on gender-based violence and community mobilisation.
WROC works closely with the UNDP on the Jamaica Violence Prevention, Peace and Sustainable Development
Programme, which seeks, inter alia, to re-shape violent behaviour in young males.
Kingston and St.
Andrew Action Forum
(KSAAF)
A grassroots network of peace activists with presence in all of the inner city communities worst-affected by
violence. Although KSAAF’s sole focus is not GBV, due to the prevalence of domestic violence in its participating
communities, much of the network’s outreach efforts address the issue.
Jamaica Family
Planning Association
(Famplan)
The Association offers group counselling sessions to men who have been charged with battery against their
partners and children, and in the past, has collaborated with the Department of Correctional Services and
Probation Office in Saint Ann's Bay. Men appearing before the court on domestic violence charges are referred
to the Tuesday or Wednesday night group counselling sessions as part of their probation. Counselling sessions
are supplemented by outreach and public education efforts aimed at increasing awareness of gender-based
violence against men and adolescent boys.
Dispute Resolution
Foundation
Formerly the Mediation Council of Jamaica, the DRF was incorporated July 1994 to increase cooperation in the
management and resolution of disputes involving business, the police, courts, social service agencies and the
people, through the controlled process of mediation.

27. 27
Capacity Gaps
1. Lack of a coordinated approach to issues of GBV
2. Lack of Institutional Collaboration
3. Insufficient institutionalized gender sensitivity
training for government officials and others
responsible for the delivery of services
4. Insufficient resources (human and financial)

28. 28
"Violence against women both violates and impairs
or nullifies the enjoyment by women of their human
rights and fundamental freedoms."
Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, Paragraph 112