DEC 16, 2024
At the start of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (GBV), ICAAD releases two critical reports that illuminate how inefficiencies in governmental systems combined with gender bias create a network of barriers that survivors of GBV in Jamaica and Grenada must navigate. These survivor-centered reports, based on systems-focused research techniques like journey mapping, offer a rare, in-depth look at how colonial-era laws and discriminatory policies create obstacles for those seeking justice. ICAAD’s findings reveal a hidden crisis in justice sector service delivery in the Caribbean, where outdated policies and systemic barriers impede even basic protections for survivors – especially LGBTQ+ individuals and people with disabilities.
Launching this research during the 16 Days of Activism, ICAAD joins a global call to action for governments, civil society, and communities to take a stand against GBV. This is not only an issue of justice but of survival, ICAAD argues: outdated, discriminatory laws are endangering lives and pushing marginalized people further into the shadows.
ICAAD’s findings are more than research; they are a rallying cry to challenge entrenched injustices and work toward a system where every survivor has a path to safety and justice.
Bridging the Gap Between Standards and Lived Realities
The reports reveal the critical gap between justice sector standards and the real-world experiences of GBV survivors in Jamaica and Grenada. While judicial systems are in place to protect survivors, policy gaps and systemic inequities prevent effective access to justice.
Colonial Legacy and Gender-Based Violence
Both reports underscore how colonial legacies and patriarchal legal systems continue to impact justice for GBV survivors. Colonial-era laws, structural inequalities, and policy like Jamaica’s “savings clause” persist, limiting legal redress and entrenching discriminatory practices against marginalized groups.
Insights from Survivors to Improve Access to Justice
Through survivor-centered research and journey mapping, ICAAD has documented the complex, multi-institutional journeys of survivors seeking justice. The approach highlights the urgency of system reforms based on lived experiences to create pathways for accessible, inclusive justice.
CSOs as Essential Connectors
Civil society organizations (CSOs) are shown to be essential bridges, offering crucial support and guidance for survivors navigating justice systems. CSOs like GrenCHAP play a critical role in aiding underrepresented groups, including the LGBTQ+ community, who face additional barriers due to criminalized behavior and systemic discrimination.
Urgency for Policy Reform and Full Legislative Protection
The findings call for immediate policy reform, including eliminating outdated laws and adopting comprehensive protections, particularly for groups disproportionately affected by violence. Examples include the need for legal recognition of sexual harassment in Grenada and compensation for victims of physical harm in Jamaica.
Innovative Approaches to Understanding Justice Systems
By integrating user-centered methods such as journey mapping, ICAAD’s reports illustrate a model for understanding justice systems from the survivors’ perspectives. This innovative approach allows for holistic insights and provides a framework that can be replicated in other regions.
Your support is critical to continue data-driven research, build local capacity, and develop innovative approaches—such as design thinking and journey mapping—that place survivors’ experiences at the center of justice sector reform. Join us in creating sustainable change and fostering equity in the justice systems of Jamaica, Grenada, and beyond.
Updates from Combating Violence Against Women & Girls’s efforts, posted on a regular basis.
