Running head: GENDER DISCRIMINATION AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Gender Discrimination and Domestic Violence:

A Caribbean/Cayman Analysis:
Shanice Walton
International College of the Cayman Islands

GENDER DISCRIMINATION AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Gender Discrimination and Domestic Violence: A Caribbean/Cayman Analysis

I attended a lecture at the Harquail Theatre where gender discrimination and domestic
violence was the topic for the evening. There were two lecturers who were Dr. Dalea Bean and
Professor Verene A. Shepherd (The Cayman Reporter , 2016). Dr. Dalea is a Lecturer and
Graduate Coordinator, IGDS, UWI and Professor Shepherd is a Professor of Social History,
Director IGDS, RHQ, UWI (The Cayman Reporter , 2016). The two main points spoken about
were the past and present gender discrimination and domestic violence. With the information
said from these two ladies it can help me in my career or professional growth.
Dr. Daleas lecture was about the gender discrimination and domestic violence that still
happens today. In her lecture, she defined what these two points were. Dr. Dalea gave facts about
the domestic violence in the Caribbean. She said The Director of the Cayman Island Crisis
Center reports of domestic violence have been authorized for the past year. The 2014-2015
reports of domestic violence have increased by 28% (Bean, 2016). This is something I just
learned tonight and I found it very shocking. Another statement she said was that The
Adolescent Health and Sexuality Survey of the Cayman Islands between 2012 and 2015 found
that 1 in 5 said that they have been sexually abused in childhood and 1 in 20 responded said that
they had been raped the first time they had sex (Bean, 2016). This was new information to my
ears when Dr. Dalea was speaking. It is very shocking and sad with all the discrimination and
domestic violence that is ongoing, but it can be stopped if people are willing to make it stop.
Professor Shepherd mainly spoke about the history of slaves and how gender
discrimination and domestic violence was presented in the past (Shepherd, 2016). During the
slavery period, women and young girls were taken advantage of (Shepherd, 2016). Men were
overpowering and discriminating women (Shepherd, 2016). A piece of history of the Cayman

GENDER DISCRIMINATION AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Islands Prof. Shepherd spoke about was a lady named Long Celia. Long Celia was given 50
lashes in George Town in October 1820 (Shepherd, 2016). This was my first-time hearing about
this ladys experience and I was born and raised here on Grand Cayman. I found that in this
lecture there were many events that kept gender discrimination and domestic violence alive.
Women werent the only ones treated unfairly, men were too because they were enslaved as well.
Prof. Shepherds lecture was very interesting because I learned a lot about how the women and
men slaves were treated and how discrimination and domestic violence were put into play during
that period.
These ladies lectures can have an impact on my career or professional growth in the
future. When I get into the working world, I can accept people I meet from different background
and cultures. Also, I can be aware of the discrimination that may happen in the workplace.
Dr. Dalea Bean and Prof. Verene A. Shepherds lectures were amazing because of how
much information was given about the gender discrimination and domestic violence. Their
lectures opened my eyes to realize that it still happens today and we can put a stop to all of it.

GENDER DISCRIMINATION AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

References
(2016). Retrieved from The Cayman Reporter :
http://www.caymanreporter.com/2016/10/19/31697/
Bean, D. & Shepherd, V. (2016). "Gender Discrimination and Domestic Violence: A
Caribbean/Cayman Analysis". Presentation, Grand Cayman.