Sylvia Wynter's Dream

Transcript on Audio Recording on the topic ‘Child Sexual Abuse in Jamaica’

Me: So, good morning. What is your name?

Mrs. Surmuda: Barbara Dias-Surmuda−Mrs. Barbara Surmuda.

Me: Alright Mistress−What do you think about child sexual abuse in Jamaica?

Mrs. Surmuda: Being very honest…it is out of control and it is not right, because when you think of the way they−they do the children and after they have…ahmm sexual abuse with them and tings like that−

Me: Mmm

Mrs.Surmuda: it lef an impact on the child−

Me: Yeah

Mrs.Surmuda: after a while…it leave an impact and sometimes the counselling cannot help. Yuh undastand?

Me: Yeah, I understand−

Mrs. Surmuda: But I−what I’m saying is as a parent, I have two boys and I don’t have a girl but I’m saying that if you have a girl and you have a boy as a child and they are being abused, sometimes you can see the sign−

Me: Yes−

Mrs. Surmuda: We have to look for the sign that the child is withdrawing and if somebody come at the yard, and you said, “oh go greet uncle!” and you see dem withdraw−

Me: Yeah

Mrs. Surmuda: You don’t push them and tell them go and do that, nooo. It is so wrong−

Me: Yes

Mrs. Surmuda: Sometimes the worst part about the most…the worst part about this thing is it’s family, the nearest, good friends−

Me:Yes−

Mrs.Surmuda: The person who you truss, yuh understand−

Me: That is so true−

Mrs. Surmuda: An I think the government need to do something…set some more−something restricted−

Me: Like some barriers?

Mrs. Surmuda: Yes! They need to do something strict with it!

Me: I agree.

Mrs. Surmuda: Because when you do that to a child, basically a 10 year old am not gonna find a 5−a 10 year old−

Me: Mhmm

Mrs. Surmuda: You don’t know the impact on her, you mash up har womb and everything. I don’t think…it is so mind blowing. And some of them the parents is so sick−

Me: Yeah

Mrs. Surmuda: after hearing what happen and they get through to it and then you have−hear di worst part a everything; when you go to court−

Me: Yes

Mrs. Surmuda: after dem hold the person−

Me: Yes−

Mrs: Surmuda: they have to go back through that whole ordeal…

Me: That long process again−

Mrs: Surmuda: again- this government need these crime things fi just do like a day and it sone. This one year, two year thing−

Me: Yes−

Mrs. Surmuda: that they are drawing out with it,it is not right.

Me: It is not.

Mrs. Surmuda: And it leaving a whole heep of impact on the child.

Me: So what do you think about their, like…mental health?

Mrs Surmuda: Yes! Mental health is what is the next thing.

Me: Mhmm

Mrs. Surmuda: Listen, when you reach certain age like basically 21, 22, 30 and they are ready for a relationship−

Me: Mhmm-

Mrs.Surmuda: they are afraid!

Me: Because of past hurt?

Mrs. Surmuda: Because of past hurt! You understand.

Me: Yes

Mrs. Surmuda: It just coming like a woman in a relationship whether she married or not, the husband beat har, baby-father beat har and then it end up him gone bout him business with somebody else. This young lady is not going to take up anybody else back−

Me: Yes

Mrs. Surmuda: and that’s the same thing with the child abuse-

Me: Mhmm

Mrs. Surmuda: the child will withdraw from the young men and likkle boy dem in class. And they are wondering, why is she drawing away from the young boy in class. So you’re playing a ring game and you put har hand in the likkle boy’s hand-

Me: Mhmm

Mrs. Surmuda: No! she will draw away. Call har one-side and make a time or a date as a teacher…cause teachers are counsellors enuh, mothers are counsellors and sisters are counsellors.

Me: Yes

Mrs. Surmuda: Even fathers if you can find them. But when dem at school and dem withdraw like that, tek a time and talk with her…talk with her. Because sometimes is all food dem want and anna di food mek dem get weh dem get.

Me: Yeah…But what about like…yuh nuh some parents that don’t believe their children?−

Mrs. Surmuda: That is the next thing, when they don’t believe that is when it continue on and on and on…til she end up reaching certain age then she pregnant. She go beat har say she pregnant but he wasn’t listening to her from it was young and just continuing. Now those parents are to be charged.

Me: Yeah

Mrs. Surmuda: I believe the government fi charge dem too!

Me: I think so too

Mrs. Surmuda: ust like how dem lock up di pickney dem inna house and gone a dance and gone down the road and dem bun up…charge dem!

Me: Yeah, so they need to be more responsible−

Mrs. Surmuda: More responsible!