We see the occasional press updates on vulnerable groups and supposed concerns yet no serious moves and interventions with all the access to funding to deal with chiefly in this case LGBT homelessness and predominantly MSM homelessness in this country which has passed chronic proportions, Facebook fallouts leading to exposure and forced evictions, other family issues leading to the same outcomes, economic issues on the national level leading to joblessness and hopelessness as other mitigating factors influencing homelessness and displacement.
For historical purposes we can track all this downward movement from 2010 such as this Observer expose:
Rowdy gays banned by J-FLAG, JSL with the subsequent damage control from the agencies attempting to pass the blame to government to provide shelter for homeless msms when we know they will do no such thing, also I suggest you replay the audio commentary posted above where the men's bad behaviour was sneaked in as a reason to not engage them yet we have so many behaviour change experts who ought to have lent some expertise in solving this crisis. Also the closure of the Safe House pilot project which folded due to so called bad behaviour by the men at the time, a disinterested position has been taken since that closure and more so after the two day insurrection the men launched on Jamaica AIDS Support for Life and JFLAG which led to further distancing by both organizations and their operatives towards the population.
More on the civil disobedience episode(s):
MSM employ Civil Disobedience to get Board's Attention ....
Homeless MSM to feel the pinch as JASL issues ultimatum
The dark side to the homeless issue .............. (second civil disobedience action by the homeless msm)
and
Homeless MSMs Saga Timeline 28.08.11
The numbers have been increasing in Kingston and St. Andrew alone in 2012 while other city centres have been seeing marked increases in the roaming groups from various parts of the island showing up with some awful consequences. Profiling, public humiliation, their own anti social behaviours causing unwanted attention, beatings and now murder. Last evening I was able to confirm a murder of a member of the MSM homeless community, which occurred in New Kingston Tuesday of this week, this is the same area nearing the substance abuse communities in New Kingston a member of that community also was stabbed several times in what seems a strange of circumstances, it would seem that some would want this issue to simply go away and it not be raised and followed up but until we really become cognizant of the fact that the least amongst us are really the ones who are the marginalized. Unconfirmed reports also suggest a member of the group that had gone into hiding after the 15 plus mobbing by the Green Gables theatre strip has also been killed in the new Kingston area as well, some strange circumstances surround the populations in recent times.
Another member who ran afoul of the law in a stabbing incident of another community member is now languishing in a jail cell as charges are laid, another reported beating in New Kingston nearing the old Superplus store now being refurbished where the workmen at the site have been very aggressive towards the men and the cross dressers who traverse the area despite repeated abuse and homo-negativity. The Kingston group also have been scattered as indicated in the last post on homelessness where a mobbing took place in the Green Gables theatre area leading to persons sustaining bruises and a follow up incident in Half Way Tree.
See more HERE on that post and or
MSM Homelessness back in the spotlight ............
In that previous post also the populations in St. Catherine who were booted from a house they illegally occupied have now found themselves in problems with the supposed underworld in the parish as threats have been issued for them to lay low.
Western Jamaica has seen its share of challenges with the populations as well, where a leading community figure who supported a shelter program of sorts for the men and cross dressing communities was arrested for alleged lotto scamming activity which has sent a serious blow to the assistance which while not formalized had an impact in keeping the individuals at bay at the house they were staying thus avoiding public exposure and getting into problems. It is as if the men do not exist in the realms of advocacy, no mention of them comes on social networking only a string of narcissistic presentations of caring with a stinging smugness that is disturbing. Other influentials have now abandoned in a way this groups, yes I understand the anti social behaviours of the men is a cause for concern and has been a magnet for some of the troubles the men themselves encounter but do we look at the bigger picture in solving this set of serious community challenges that now have proven to be life threatening. The circumstances surrounding the murder of the young man in New Kingston is cloudy but word has getting around with some negative responses that the man deserved his demise as he was a battyman and the usual anti gay comments. St. Ann and Portland have seen some issues as well as influentials in those neck of the woods have been expressing concerns of perceived young members of the community meeting some challenges including verbal abuse and displacement.
We must not forget the set of circumstances in this sordid history in regards to homelessness and the treatment of the populations by those who say they defend lgbt rights which if we are to be honest we MUST question what are the motives behind the existence of groups if not to serve the community in its entirety and not overlook those who are in the highest place of need, the very same stigma and discrimination we complain about as hinted to in my introduction.
To burrow an old Star News Headline that rings so true to this day and even in the commercial sex arena there are other mitigating circumstances affecting MSMs who engage in this income earning activity only two weeks ago a male couple was caught in the act allegedly by cops and were charged in a popular strip but the female CSWs who were present and who may have known of the transaction have been coming under pressure from the authorities with increased patrols and interrogation suggesting the women are supporting same sex activity in public.
There must be some serious solutions to begin to put a dent in this chronic problem, no quick fix or even well rounded set of interventions won't solve this instantaneously and with the behaviour challenges the men themselves present it is not going to be easy in breaking the cycle and assisting them through some self efficacious planning of their own making towards an emancipated state of mind and being. A half way house or drop in centre as suggested by some readers and influentials is patch work as far as I am concerned it makes no sense we have these alternatives without long term rehabilitation supported by a strong psycho social support base of services and activities for the populations themselves to become engaged in. The devil finds work for idle hands eh?
Much to ponder on.
Peace and tolerance
H
click the "Homeless MSM in Jamaica" tab immediately below for previous entries on the subject
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