In light of the recent personal attacks against Candia Dames, Managing Editor of the Nassau Guardian, we, the collective of women’s rights and human rights activists, vehemently condemn all who would perpetuate one of the most predictable, yet degrading tactics used by male chauvinists to diminish the worth of women, smear their character and silence them through intimidation. These tactics are acts of violence against women.
The practice of invoking a woman’s private relationships and inferring that she is a “slut” as artillery against her professional credibility is rooted in the purposeful manipulation of context in order to discredit and discriminate. This malicious behaviour is made possible because of the misplaced belief that a woman’s sexuality is something to be ashamed of and the false perception that a woman should know her role and stay in her lane. It is also rooted in a double standard that affirms the sexuality of men, while demeaning the sexuality of women. This double standard is one of the greatest hypocrisies of our age.
The practice of shaming a woman because of one’s perception of her sexual practices, popularly known as #SlutShaming, needs to end. A person’s sexual history and sexuality is a part of their private life; it is not a matter of public record and should not be available for public consumption regardless of how high profile the person may be. Anyone who thinks this is an acceptable attack on one woman, will find this is an unacceptable affront to all women. And we stand united in our condemnation.
We are fed up with this appalling behaviour being considered acceptable particularly by our fellow citizens in positions of power and influence. It is not acceptable. This is an example of the lingering inequality that demands continued collective action to transform our society through behaviour change.
We stand resolutely under the protection of our Bahamian Constitution, The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, The U.N. Convention to End All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and the Belém do Pará Convention. Article 12 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, states: “No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.”
We call on our fellow citizens to be more conscious of their actions and to refrain from the perpetuation of violence against women.
Signed,
Terneille Burrows, Donna Nicolls, Noelle Nicolls, Teran Nicholls, Erin Greene, Dr. Sandra Dean Patterson, Nicolette Bethel, Marion Bethel, Dr. Novia Carter, Stephen B. Aranha, Kathy Ingraham, Paco Nunez, Patrina Khoo Farquharson, Wayne Farquharson, Amanda Coulson, Ruth Bowe Darville, Alicia Wallace, Stacey Moultrie, Audrey Roberts, Annick Brennen, Stephen Hanna, Sharrah Moss-Hackett, Simmone Bowe, LaGloria Davis, Sharon Cleare, Don Sargent, Jasper Williams-Ward, Ted Forbes, Crystal Darling, Gwendolyn Knowles, Sam Duncombe, Randy Rahming, Jamie Forbes, Alexander Sargent, Prodesta Moore, Beaumont Todd, Juliette Patterson, Susan Glinton, Sarah Kirkby, Louby Georges, Glenn Major, Therena Cunningham, Phillipa Farrington, Glendina Joseph, Gregory A Collie II, M’Wale Rahming, Bahamas Women’s Watch, Rise Bahamas, Bahamas Crisis Centre, S.T.R.A.W. Inc. Center for Young Women, Bahamas Against Sexual Violence & Child Abuse, Equality Bahamas, Hollaback! Bahamas, World Merit Bahamas, Citizens for Constitutional Equality (CCE), SASS (Smart and Strong Sisterhood)
