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16 Days Of Activism: Making The Message Painfully Real
Wed, November 25, 2015

Step up to end Gender- Based Violence NOW!! That's the theme for this year's 16 Days of Activism. This evening at the Battlefield Park the Women's Issues Network launched this initiative with a candle light vigil and a march. This event is to remember the women who lost their lives due to domestic violence and to get everyone engaged on this issue. Program Coordinator Sheena Gentle explained to us that it's more than just a woman's matter.

Sheena Gentle - Programme Coordinator, WIN Belize

"This year there is step up to end gender based violence now and of course this is very important and especially in this year we've seen a lot of women who have died at the hands of their lovers at the hands of their boyfriends, ex-husbands and so on. So it's very important for us to now look at it seriously and end gender based violence, end violence against women, end sexual violence. What we do need to do is advocate for policies and laws to be enforced so that perpetrators are given stiffer penalties. So that we can at least see that there is a reason for them not to do it, instead of given them a slap on the wrist and then they just let free or they're not even charged with anything. This is something that all women's organisations, even those organisations that include families, children and men, need to advocate for. It's not only a women's issue, it's a family issue, it's also a men's issue; because a lot of the times we often blame the men for these issues, however women are also perpetrators and the men are also victims. So they need to come out as well and report these cases."

"These are times that we need to highlight the issue and highlight how far women have come, however it's also a time for us to reflect and increase the impact nationwide with the young people, especially coming up. And just to bring everybody together and rally around the fact that we need to end it now."

Among the many victims of domestic violence - Colleen Sharp is one that comes to mind. In mid April she was shot twice to the head by her common law husband Mike Estell. It was a shock to her family and to the community who saw them as a very social and normal couple. But that wasn't the case. Estell shot her and then himself. It's a tragic story, one that the family – including their child - has to grapple with for the rest of their lives. We spoke to Sharp's sister at the vigil and she told us that all she can do now is give support and advice.

Shaine Sharp - Collen Sharp's sister

"It's still hard to deal with as of today, I feel as if it's just yesterday it happens, I thought it's something none of us would have gotten by because we were close to her and she always around the chair with everybody. And being here today I guess it just show support in the abuse and everything that done us something wrong against women. Women have a voice and they have to try make their voice be heard, my sister is not here any more, I guess this is the only way I can show support."

Courtney Weatherburne

"What message do you have for other women and for the public and men as well?"

Shaine Sharp - Collen Sharp's sister

"Speak up, talk to family, friends, get out of the situation. If it's to start over, get out."

Keisha Buller was stabbed by her common law husband Ervin Wade about 54 times in June of this year. Another brutal incident that has left a 4 year old son without a mother. Her older sister Kendra Buller told us why she had to come out to the vigil.

Kendra Buller - Keisha Buller's sister

"The thing is Keisha worked in Benque Veijo Del Carmen, she was there for 3 years and honestly it was shocker to us because there didn't seem to be such of a problem, to be stabbed 54 times, something has to have gone really wrong. I think it's high time women stand up for each other because sometimes it's not what it may seem and we should be there for one another instead of bringing each other down, we should stand up for each other and I have to stand in solidarity with WIN Belize for us to end gender based violence. Not only domestic violence but violence in the work place against women, becoming leaders. I think it's high time that I join the fight, I don't want my sister's death to go and nothing positive comes out of it."

The 16 days of activism ends on December 10th and there will be a number of activities across the country.

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