Trelawny Woman

Trelawny Parish in Jamaica is home to numerous established communities and businesses, jaw-dropping natural beauty and a storehouse of cultural offerings. 

From the lively industry of the capital city of Falmouth to the gorgeous seaside of Duncan’s Bay and the historical and environmental treasures of the Cockpit Country Trelawny Parish is a hidden jewel of Jamaica.  Though Jamaica's more popular tourist destinations such as Montego Bay, Negril and Ocho Rios get plenty of attention, this little bit of paradise is hard to overlook.

The parish is currently experiencing a new infusion of social and economic growth.  A newly built dock for commercial tourist (cruise) traffic is set to open in the capital city of Falmouth in 2009, bringing new energy to an already bustling community which includes an active cultural life and a burgeoning group of artisans and artists.

Between the sea, sand and shopping, however, there is a critical need for support for women who are marginalized by gender-based social constraints, poverty, and the many faces of sexual violence.  According to Amnesty International, for example, nearly 70% of all reported sexual assaults in Jamaica in 2004 were assaults on girls.

It is overwhelmingly women who carry the burden of raising children in Jamaica.  Due to the lack of adequate resources to allow for school expenses, many girls are not afforded the benefits of an education.  Largely forced by social constraints to depend on men by economic necessity, a young woman in such a situation may well decide to use sexuality as currency.  This, however, only sets her up to possibly bear children she can ill afford and puts her at risk to contract HIV and/or other sexually transmitted diseases.  This cycle of poverty and lack of education is thus often perpetuated into a generational curse. While this type of cycle is all too familiar around the world, the prevalence of such limitations is made no less tolerable by its persistence.

The particular position of women in Trelawny and in Jamaica in general is similar to the experiences of women throughout most of the world.  Sexual and other domestic violence, social discrimination and generations of economic marginalization take their personal and collective  toll on women and girls in the parish and around the island.   As elsewhere in the world where women face enormous challenges, there is also great personal and cultural strength among women in the community. The expression of this is evident in many ways, particularly in the love and  determination women display in maintaining their families and households.

 Trelawny Woman seeks to celebrate and capitalize on our strength by bringing women together to share knowledge, practice and energy.  An army of Visioneers can achieve anything.  Fellowship is essential because it reminds us that we are not alone. Events like this help us recall why we continue to stand on the battlefield. They help us get right with ourselves on a holistic level.   A brief respite from our own individual daily stresses prepares us, renews us, and solidifies our resolve to move forward in love and strength  having learned new strategies to bring healing, knowledge, joy and prosperity to our communities.