Monday, June 16, 2014

A Homophobic sibling, tolerant family members, forced evictions & an interrupted re-integration process




A previous case on January 6th where a young man and his friend were evicted from the Birdsucker Avenue via a mob incited by a landlord and a sibling has had some other issues attending to them, at the time the afternoon of January 6th around 5pm a 19 year old male who innocently had a friend over after his older relative was hospitalised and in whose care he was responsible in part when he found himself profiled in his own home by a factitious female companion of the landlord for the property then. The victim who reported that he had arrived at home after a routine hospital visit to his elder relative where his friend tagged along, both men were at the house when the inquisitive female companion of the landlord forced herself in the company of the man's relative rented flat and snooped around asking odd questions about the male visitor who was seated on a bed at the time of the incident, yet she claimed the man was under the bed; however some moments later after her curiosity was not satisfied she raised an alarm that men were in the house allegedly in a compromising position as she was over heard telling another resident nearby that "yes he have man in deh"


The present challenges as outlined below shows the challenge that can come with reintegration work and other parties can interfere or derail such objectives with disastrous consequences; on June 14 a fracas ensued with the intolerant sister even as the elder of the home insisted that the aggrieved youth return after the last mobbing on the urging of the same free loading sister caused a near death experience which had the intervention of the crisis intervention team of Aphrodite’s PRIDE Jamaica who had gotten them to a short stay at an older community member’s flat. For the past four days the young man had quietly resettled in a sense unbeknownst to some persons in the area so as to avoid trouble at the request of his elder relative who preferred his company and care around the home until the homophobic sister returned to visit the home and upon seeing her brother proceeded to again incite a mob to attack the young man.

His sister had originally been evicted herself some days after the first go round with the young gay man as it came to light that she had instigated the attack of the mob on her own brother which did not sit well with the grandfather who obviously adores his grandson despite the orientation issues. The grandfather of the young man has only spoken in glowing colours since his return to the home after his short hospital stay and it was during that hospital admission that the first incident occurred. He inquired as to who led the attack and he was made aware. The young man’s refusal to congregate with the other homeless persons in New Kingston in the Shoemaker gully due to a beef with one member there has only made his isolation a little problematic.

The June 14 standoff went on for about twenty minutes allegedly where a piece of board was used by the sister to inflict blows to the young man alongside the typical Jamaican curse words and threats loudly so with a view to attracting attention and references to the male rape issue which is still in the minds of many, a case that has not been formally reported to the Center for Investigations of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse, CISOCA as no corroboration seems forthcoming and some are now questioning if that sensational piece was actually true but gay baiting by the Jamaica Observer. The young man had to take matters into his own hands where he eventually disarmed his board toting sister reluctantly and inflict blows of his own in self defence and has since left the scene in a bid to escape what has been described as hunting men looking for him. So a possible re-integration case has fizzled right before our eyes all because of not so much outside influence but by another family member.

The owner of the property who was somewhat complicit in the first episode of this sequel had agreed that the sister should leave her property but how this will play out now one hopes that the elder gentleman being the grandfather does not become the subject of resentment and harbouring homosexuals at his house. The police were not called in this time and the young man is now seeking some settling space for now. The previous community shelter alternative is not available at this time so that option is dead for now and my home is also not available to do so either. Other cases including re-displacements of persons associated with the now deceased Bebe from western Jamaica that he was assisting are now in the cold. One person is settled for a short time but the others it is unclear what their next move is. Other youngsters who got into the illegal lotto scamming activity have found themselves falling from grace and homeless themselves or at least displaced.


The phones are being worked for some possible temporary solution for now but this is one of those cases that shows how fragile the recovery process can be and a return to the original state of interruption is as real as it gets. Re-displacements if you will are a major issue in rehabilitation work as the evidence in the correction and juvenile centers proves beyond the shadow of a doubt that many residents are repeat ones due to no proper engagement, no life plan or efficacious work done with them and just hardened behaviours that require more intense work.

Meanwhile another report unconfirmed at this hour has come to hand of a man who was given an ultimatum to leave a certain east Kingston community by thugs nearby, I am checking as to the veracity of that case before a full report is prepared. I would not be surprised of other cases as it is silly season again folks with hysteria around from paranoid religious groups who have now formed yet another group called Jamaica CAUSE and have vowed to protest every month to stop the change in the buggery law and supposed gay marriage. Their first public event is slated for June 29th and sounds more like a set of unknown wanna-be pastors looking for a cause to latch on to so they can make a name for themselves than about serious concerns when so many other ills are out there yet they ignore them but get excited once it involves homosexuality.

Mad times we are in now. Only last evening a news item highlighted a mobbing that thankfully was brought under control by cops in May Pen Clarendon:



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