Dirkje de Jong, Policy coordinator for Domestic Violence and Children’s Rights (front row, third left), Carol Cuvalay of Women’s Desk, (front row, centre) and Director of Mega D. Youth Foundation Dion “Mega D.” Humphreys (third right) with volunteers and sponsors of the Mega Musical Experience/Dare2Care Stop Domestic Violence Campaign.
EUSTATIUS–The Mega Musical Experience/Dare2Care Stop Domestic Violence Campaign held a meet-and-greet celebration at the Government Guest House and Ocean View restaurant on Wednesday. The event highlighted the upcoming events and shared information about this coming weekend.
The meet and greet was held to say thank you to all sponsors, artistes and participants. The campaign is set to take place over a four-day period, during which speakers, artistes, bands, various disc jockeys and many others will entertain, inform and inspire visitors to take a stand against domestic violence.
Among the events will be a meet and greet with domestic violence survivor and author Julie Mansfield at Whale Tail restaurant on Thursday, February 21, a concert with Ky-mani Marley at the NuStar community ground in Golden Rock on Saturday evening, February 23, and a Family Fun Day on Sunday, February 24.
Policy coordinator for Domestic Violence and Children’s Rights Dirkje de Jong, thanked and welcomed everyone to the event. “I think that it’s amazing that we as a community are standing up to fight domestic violence. Our goal as a public entity together with Mega D. Youth Foundation (MYF) is working through music to tackle this problem, because it is here on Statia. It doesn’t matter where you grew up, as domestic violence is everywhere. If nobody steps up and says, ‘This is enough,’ then we won’t change the problem.”
Domestic abuse affects children and parents, as well as men and women in the community, de Jong said. “I encourage everyone if they have any ideas that might help us tackle this problem, please, let us know because we can think of solutions but maybe it might not work on the island.”
Some parents are telling others to mind their own business and that they will handle their child. “I think that it is good that we change this attitude and raise our children to prevent problems in the future.”
MYF director Dion “Mega D.” Humphreys said the event could only have been possible with the support of the Public Entity of St. Eustatius, NuStar Statia Terminals and many other sponsors, as well as persons who are campaigning with them.
“Everyone who’s doing their part promoting information about child abuse and domestic violence, and by bringing domestic abuse awareness to the masses. Domestic violence is not about just hitting someone, it’s about verbal abuse, bullying, exerting control over someone and many other forms of abuse. I’ve learned so much about domestic abuse via working with the Dare2Care team.”
Humphreys also mentioned other forms of abuse that are not widely spoken about, such as for instance the physical or mental abuse of elderly people by a caregiver, or a child, or those who are being neglected.
He thanked every person involved in making the event possible, as well as those who posed for the domestic-violence posters and banners, and all who stood up by saying, “enough is enough.”
“Small, little things can make a big difference in the lives of persons at risk,” Mega D. said, who also made mention of Sister Support Group, which is made up of young girls.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/85309-meet-and-greet-for-statia-mega-musical-experience
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