Prime Minister Andrew Holness is urging Jamaicans to take acts of violence by family members seriously.
Speaking during a visit with Gwendolyn McKnight who is mourning the brutal murder of her daughter and four grand-children in Cocoa Piece, Clarendon, Holness said violent behaviours “must be treated with, in the first instance”.
“In most cases where domestic violence would have escalated to the loss of life, the perpetrator would have demonstrated the potential and the propensity to use violence before,” he said on Friday.
On June 21, the bodies of 31-year-old Kemisha Wright, and her children – 15-year-old Kimanda Smith; 12-year-old Sharalee Smith; five-year-old Rafaella Smith; and 23-month-old Kishawn Henry Jr, were discovered at home with their throats slashed. Charged with the murder is 23-year-old Rushane Barnett, a relative of the victims.
Holness described the act, which has shocked the nation, as an assault on the sensibilities of Jamaicans.
He offered comfort to McKnight during his visit and has also pledged his personal support and that of the Government.
Noting that the accused is alleged to have displayed violent behaviours in the past, the Prime Minister is encouraging families, who are dealing with violence from relatives to allow the courts and the law to take due course.
“Anyone in your family that is displaying this propensity to use aggression and violence, don’t take it as normal behavior…you should report them,” he implored.
He said that the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) is prepared to deal with domestic violence and intimate partner violence, noting that the threat of violence is something that the police takes very seriously.
Holness said Jamaicans should also seek counselling and engage in dispute resolution mechanisms to deal with conflicts in their families before they escalate to atrocious outcomes.
He noted that a public education campaign is needed about “how we can change our society, from one that relies on violence as a means of resolving conflict,” and cited the church, parents, and communities as crucial partners in this effort.
The prime minister said that the Government is working to improve domestic violence legislation and measures to ban corporal punishment.
“Let us use this incident as a line in the sand about how we are going to change to prevent this from happening in our society,” said Holness.
