Every week, it seems there is a report of the rape of little primary schoolgirls; and a hue and cry is raised about the sexual abuse of children. The outrage is not usually matched with a comprehensive examination of the issues involved.Is the rape of underage girls in Jamaica unusual? Apparently not! The 2008 Jamaica Reproductive Health Survey (RHS) found that for females aged 15-19, the average age of first sexual intercourse, increased from 15.2 in 2002 to 15.3 years in 2008, which is below the age of consent.
This means that the first sexual experience of the average Jamaican girl is statutory rape, one form of child abuse. More than half of Jamaican women aged 15-19 years in 2008 were victims of child abuse. Maybe half of Jamaican men are guilty of statutory rape–of sexual abuse of young girls. That would include the male and female occupants of Gordon House, and those reading this.
How does this relate to the revelation a few years ago by a respected Jamaican psychiatrist that 40 per cent of Jamaicans suffer from some form of personality disorder? We need to admit, frankly, that Jamaican society is a sick society. And we must resolve to do something about it.Sexuality is part of normal human make-up, and hormonal changes during adolescence prepare the bodies of boys and girls for sexual and reproductive activity. Meanwhile, the children are in school learning the discipline of learning.
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