Homelessness still a major problem ......

With the numerous letters to the various newspapers and bragging rights on whose who in Jamaican LGBT advocacy, the loss of a powerful voice on September 4th just one day before his birthday, in the form of a founding member of Jamaica AIDS Support for Life Mr. Howard Daly who also acted as a counsellor and mentor to many LGBT victims of homophobic violence and HIV/AIDS sufferers (I referred many clients to him during my flag days) and at one point was integral with the counselling activities in the then Homeless MSM project that was housed on the organization's property until its controversial closure homeless gays are still being overlooked and basically ignored or chased away from the very place that is to serve as refuge in a sense.

The focus unfortunately continues to be too much at the "top level" matters with almost a competitive madness attached to it as other voices speak up and out on local issues from the ground there seems to be moves afoot to drown out any other points of view. International Conferences, workshops with so called experts or intellectuals are important but the real folks on the ground who suffer the most from the brunt of active homophobia continued to be ignored or overlooked except in overwhelming cases where they may get some "after the fact" assistance and are often referred to in forming statistics to put forward arguments.

There are hardly any pre-emptive or preventative interventions, information sharing or sessions such as how to avoid being the subject of a homophobic attack in public or knowing ones basic rights when arrested etc for ordinary lgbts who have to traverse Jamaica's hidden threats out there, after all not everyone reads well or has access to the internet so direct activities are very much important. The controversially closed Safe House Pilot project (Dec 2009) itself while was a temporary response to the growing problem itself never had the needed stabilization interventions for the men housed their but if the agencies who rushed its closure were interested at the rallying cry of some influentials they would have kept the shelter opened and tweaked the structure to solve the operational challenges. Instead the very space became the JFLAG office which has many persons asking if its closure was to make way for their use of the space?

Incidents ranging from police harassment, to men being chased by citizens or mobs, to in-fighting within the homeless groups themselves are just some of the horror stories that abound. Only last evening while on my way to work I was literally pounced upon by two of the men who were basically begging in one of the the city centres, they were obviously lacking in having their basic daily needs met.

They related some of the troubles they and their counterparts have been going through to the point that some have found themselves entering into illegal activities just to survive or "nyam a food" they also surprisingly were concerned about the public show of indiscipline by some of their other friends in a certain section of town and reminded me of the shooting incident that took place late last month in upper New Kingston and the mobbing of another at an empty building where he had gone to bathe at a pipe on the property.

see:

Shots fired at homeless gays in Kingston, homeless situation spiraling out of control

The disturbing thing about this is that the advocates have been basically brushing the men aside, yes there are trouble makers in the group but what is the purpose then of being advocates if you do not want to directly engage the people who are reason for your existence? it's precisely why funders fund non governmentals, isn't it?

It is not the educated or well insulated middle class snobs that get beaten or chased on the streets or have to be resorting to all kinds of anti social behaviours in the name of survival. There is talk even of an expected implosion within the community as to the allegations of MSMs involved in the big money lollo fraud racket who are enjoying high lifestyles to becomes targets of planned robberies by some of the thuggish elements within the homeless category as they want to get some of the perks as well.

The men I spoke to are angry and if this anger continues I do not know how long it can be contained, my other problem however is the behaviour of some of the men publicly, not because one is on the street that should give rise to an almost suicidal tendency, then again I don't know how their brains tick and I can appreciate the rebellious nature of someone under pressure but sheesh!. Where do we begin? as I hinted before in a previous post just simply giving them some money is not enough there has to be some other in depth interventions and engagement with this grouping.

Let us not forget the HIV/AIDS issues attendant to this group it is well known that many of the men also engages in commercial sex transactions often believe it or not without negotiating condom use and picking up sexually transmitted infections while others are actually HIV positive without the necessary monitoring in place.

I wish there was more that I and others concerned could do it's just too painful to continue to hear and see lives interrupted just languish like that. We are hoping and praying that something comes through something meaningful and will lead to positive outcomes that what obtains now.

Peace and tolerance

H

see also on glbtqjawordpress:

Nail technician beaten by woman says The Star

Mob attacks men for ‘funny’ dressing says the Star

Caribbean gays going to Inter American Commission on Human Rights

‘Gay lover’ sentenced for attacking man

Living Up To Our Motto says gay lawyer (Gleaner letter)

click the "Homeless MSM: tab immediately below for previous exclusive entries on homelessness