Chairman of the SAVE Foundation, Liesel Daisley, presenting calypsonian Stedson ???Red Plastic Bag’ Wiltshire with his award. At left is Acting Director of the Bureau of Gender Affairs, John Hollingsworth.

The Bureau of Gender Affairs, in association with the Services Alliance for Violent Encounters (SAVE) Foundation, today presented calypsonian, Stedson ???Red Plastic Bag’ Wiltshire with an award for writing and recording the best song against domestic violence, for this year’s Crop Over festival.

"No Man" has as its theme, respect for women.?? The lyrics include, "Who gave you permission, or the authority to go and beat up a woman??? Now listen carefully – you ain’t no man! Try and understand.?? When you take up your hand and lick up she face ??and beat she all bout the place, you aint no man."?? The song is included on his 2009 album.

In thanking the Foundation for acknowledging his work, Mr. Wiltshire pledged his support to sensitising persons about domestic violence.?? "When I made this song it came truly from my heart.?? I feel quite strongly about domestic violence and I’m prepared to work with the SAVE Foundation, in the future, against domestic violence.?? I think it is really a problem that we need to address, and we …all need to work together against domestic violence," he said.

Acting Director of the Bureau of Gender Affairs, John Hollingsworth, welcomed the song as another avenue to help the Bureau to raise awareness about the issue.??

??"We hope that this will not be the end of this particular effort, as the Bureau, together with the Ministry of Family and the SAVE Foundation and other organisations out there, seek to introduce measures to combat this problem," he emphasised.

Chairman of the Foundation, Liesel Daisley, explained that the Foundation way in the process of setting up a hotline.?? According to her, "it was indeed a pleasure to hear so many of the calypsonians this year sing about domestic violence and highlight the issue, as it is so prevalent in our society."

The SAVE Foundation launched a series of support groups for survivors of domestic violence, last month.??The next session will be held on August 31, at the Bureau, at 7:00 p.m.????

The non-profit organisation was launched in March, this year to address the issue of domestic violence.??

lbayley@barbados.gov.bb

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