Senator John King wants to see more being done to address a number of gender issues facing citizens on the island, especially men who he sees as victims of a “hypocritical society”.
During his contribution on the Appropriation Bill 2023 on Monday in the Upper House, Senator King said that men are often left to cope with unjust bias in the wider society, particularly with domestic violence and their visitation rights with regard to children.
Senator King wants to see this matter addressed, since men were often chastised despite often being victims.
“There are a number of men crying out in silence, about things like domestic violence, things like the inability [to get] child visitation. This is a hypocritical society that we live in, because when we talk about things like domestic violence as it pertains to a man being the perpetrator, everyone condemns, and we talk [about] social justice and all of these things. When the tables are turned, we either become very silent or we ridicule the victims.
“I am hoping that in the programmes being developed by the ministry, that this is an issue that seriously needs to be dealt with,” he stated.
He added that though men are experiencing many problems, they are often made to feel ‘incompetent’, and are only seen as useful for their financial input.
“One of the greatest atrocities that we have faced as a people is the destruction of the family, especially if the male figurehead is made to look incompetent, incapable and valued less than a financial supporter. Men in this country have a lot of problems. We cannot continue to sweep these things under the carpet.”
Meanwhile, King also spoke on the treatment of the country’s elderly. He said the government needed to bring stronger laws against persons caught abusing or taking advantage of elderly persons. Senior citizens, he said, do not deserve to be abandoned at healthcare facilities or used for monetary gain.
“I’ve not seen the legislation that is coming to deal with a lot of these things, but I will be brutally honest, I hope that they are severe, because for me it is unconscionable, that you can have older persons who would have sacrificed, worked hard, did whatever they needed to do so that you and I can enjoy the type of life that we have today, then finding themselves abandoned, finding themselves swindled by family members or people outside of their families; left in some instances at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Psychiatric Hospital and now Harrison’s Point.
(JB)
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