An open lot that has been the centrepiece for commercial sexual activity in Western Jamaica for some time has factored in a near miss mobbing on Monday April 28, 2014, I was able to confirm this latest round of challenges in that part of the island that does not get mainstream and even generic news coverage as the aspirational public relations by some LGBT activists focuses on the homeless, displaced and commercial sex worker groups who are also LGBT in Kingston for the most part.
Several other worrying cases have come to light but the usual obstacle of confirmation or verification is the major challenge as several persons so affected either do not come forward to report such challenges out of fear of exposure and embarrassment or they just simply move on sweeping their ordeals under hoping it may disappear under some veil of secrecy, out of sight out of mind. These are some of the kinds of issues that have a negative impact of crisis communications response for LGBT persons in particular, the under-reporting has long been a challenge and also a feeling of helplessness or no major response as well so persons just recline in some sort of defeat.
This particular site has long been a pick up spot for male and more so female commercial sex workers as the abandoned site’s owners are said to be elsewhere and is known by persons who traverse in and around the area and also by male dancehall patrons who attend nearby street events and who seek sexual services hence use the site for quick access, the site came in for some public concern as an eyesore last year when the mayor of Montego Bay intervened to have the site cleared as garbage pile up became an issue to include evidence of sexual activity on the site with discarded condoms and cardboard used as make shift beds obviously by members of the public who go there.
The man involved in this case was said to have made a link with his would be client, a cruiser it has been surmised on the popular stretch in Montego Bay itself along South Avenue, the man made his way into the spot which has a different look as before but due to the street lights distance between each other there is some darkness cover; the clean up from the local authority’s intervention which included the repair of the metal gate which has since been reopened for access by someone, however it seems his movements were spotted by nearby persons on the balcony of a plaza adjacent to the site around 11pm, the male CSW made his way in some time after and negotiated his terms to which the other man was said to have agreed and to which they proceeded; shouts of “battyman” and other homo-negative parlance were heard and the men hurriedly made their escape although the three or so males who were in pursuit with stones were closer to the sex worker as he was the last to leave the site in an attempt to escape.
But that he did in success and thankfully so, he has since vowed in a conversation by phone I had with him to be far more careful as to where he traverses although business is down and money is needed, he also furnished me with some other issues affecting some of his colleagues; such are the realities out there for some of our brothers and trans sisters who have no choice (outside of those who choose cruising as a pleasurable activity) to offer and perform sexual acts sometimes way outside of their true liking but for to please the client and hence receive payment and even payment can be problematic as promised or negotiated amounts often do not get handed over and instead is reduced for varying reasons including fabricated discontent of the services offered. It is rough out there, counterparts in Kingston for example complain bitterly that spots that they often used are disappearing as well such as the outing of Pirates Cove in a Gleaner newspaper expose earlier this year and complaints from other LGBT and non LGBT people/resident surprisingly who reside in the nearby Ocean Towers gated apartments who do not want to associate with some of the homeless MSM/Trans persons although some of their own make it bad by their anti-social behaviour which has been rebuffed by the public.
Other displacements reports as posted before have been reported especially since the crackdown on alleged lotto scammers some of whom actively go after young gay men in their recruitment drive as they claim their ability to speak well on the phone in the activity makes them potential targets. Similar issues have arisen in Mandeville as well as police recently moved into an upscale home where some seven young men were seen in front computers with headsets allegedly making calls and having lead sheet lists with names of persons; the men allegedly claimed they were unable to get work and were offered this avenue to make money as some of the men were said to be formerly displaced as well.
This is the other side to this mess of displacements and some persons after fall from grace so to speak turn to crime in a bid to maintain their once affluent lifestyles which explains a recent set of arrests and court cases of some of the homeless MSM in New Kingston by the Shoe Maker gully which has been the focus of a shelter idea named Dwayne’s House and with all the aspirational PR the only response after near forty years of visible displacement issues in Kingston and St Andrew alone with LGBT youth is food in a Styrofoam box and men lining up as slaves to collect same, it is sad that this is what we have been reduced to watch while powerful, affluent, influential advocates live comfortably and then they demand tolerance when same is not demonstrably clear with regards to the least amongst us; bearing in mind also that no major response has come to homeless and displaced MSM/Trans in other parishes have no such response mechanism save and except for an income earning project for a small number of them in St Catherine that I am aware and yet more than four or five HIV related agencies with Global Fund money do “outreach” with said cohorts but no restorative work or transitional living help.
Thankfully the men escaped a thrashing and I hope they are more careful next time.
Peace and tolerance
H
The man involved in this case was said to have made a link with his would be client, a cruiser it has been surmised on the popular stretch in Montego Bay itself along South Avenue, the man made his way into the spot which has a different look as before but due to the street lights distance between each other there is some darkness cover; the clean up from the local authority’s intervention which included the repair of the metal gate which has since been reopened for access by someone, however it seems his movements were spotted by nearby persons on the balcony of a plaza adjacent to the site around 11pm, the male CSW made his way in some time after and negotiated his terms to which the other man was said to have agreed and to which they proceeded; shouts of “battyman” and other homo-negative parlance were heard and the men hurriedly made their escape although the three or so males who were in pursuit with stones were closer to the sex worker as he was the last to leave the site in an attempt to escape.
But that he did in success and thankfully so, he has since vowed in a conversation by phone I had with him to be far more careful as to where he traverses although business is down and money is needed, he also furnished me with some other issues affecting some of his colleagues; such are the realities out there for some of our brothers and trans sisters who have no choice (outside of those who choose cruising as a pleasurable activity) to offer and perform sexual acts sometimes way outside of their true liking but for to please the client and hence receive payment and even payment can be problematic as promised or negotiated amounts often do not get handed over and instead is reduced for varying reasons including fabricated discontent of the services offered. It is rough out there, counterparts in Kingston for example complain bitterly that spots that they often used are disappearing as well such as the outing of Pirates Cove in a Gleaner newspaper expose earlier this year and complaints from other LGBT and non LGBT people/resident surprisingly who reside in the nearby Ocean Towers gated apartments who do not want to associate with some of the homeless MSM/Trans persons although some of their own make it bad by their anti-social behaviour which has been rebuffed by the public.
Other displacements reports as posted before have been reported especially since the crackdown on alleged lotto scammers some of whom actively go after young gay men in their recruitment drive as they claim their ability to speak well on the phone in the activity makes them potential targets. Similar issues have arisen in Mandeville as well as police recently moved into an upscale home where some seven young men were seen in front computers with headsets allegedly making calls and having lead sheet lists with names of persons; the men allegedly claimed they were unable to get work and were offered this avenue to make money as some of the men were said to be formerly displaced as well.
This is the other side to this mess of displacements and some persons after fall from grace so to speak turn to crime in a bid to maintain their once affluent lifestyles which explains a recent set of arrests and court cases of some of the homeless MSM in New Kingston by the Shoe Maker gully which has been the focus of a shelter idea named Dwayne’s House and with all the aspirational PR the only response after near forty years of visible displacement issues in Kingston and St Andrew alone with LGBT youth is food in a Styrofoam box and men lining up as slaves to collect same, it is sad that this is what we have been reduced to watch while powerful, affluent, influential advocates live comfortably and then they demand tolerance when same is not demonstrably clear with regards to the least amongst us; bearing in mind also that no major response has come to homeless and displaced MSM/Trans in other parishes have no such response mechanism save and except for an income earning project for a small number of them in St Catherine that I am aware and yet more than four or five HIV related agencies with Global Fund money do “outreach” with said cohorts but no restorative work or transitional living help.
Thankfully the men escaped a thrashing and I hope they are more careful next time.
Peace and tolerance
H
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