Black women go through the most abuse today, whether it comes to mistreatment in relationships mentally, physically, or emotionally, to instititional neglect. One specific occasion that can’t be overlooked is the tragic death of Tiarah Poyau and represents the violence faced by Black women in the Caribbean in general.
Intersectionality plays a key role when looking at the violence against of Black women in the Caribbean. Being a child of Caribbean decent and witnessing these forms of abuse happening to Black women especially at Caribbean events is critical for me. |
Black women must always fight for their place in a
society where they are just seen as objects or personal doormats that can be used as stomping grounds so others can ignore their very existence as human beings. Tiarah was violently murdered at the annual Jouvert celebration in Brooklyn all for saying “no”. We are living in a society where a man feels he has the right to a Black woman’s body even when she rejects his advances. This is entitlement under patriarchy. I’d like to include Black women into the conversations. They shouldn’t be forgotten, their names shouldn’t be forgotten at all: "There’s a long painful history, going all the way to the days of slavery, of black men being emasculated in front of their wives, mothers, sisters and daughters. But the only way we can move on from that pain is if we accept, right now, that the fear and anger that black women feel after stories like Tiarah Poyau’s come to light is valid, and worthy of a real dialogue. Now, more than ever, we need unity. We need understanding. And we can’t get there until we have an open and honest conversation about the ways we can do better." (Huffington Post, 2016) |