Nurse of the Year fights against violence against women, children
Published:Saturday | January 26, 2019 | 12:00 AM
Mandeville, Manchester:
For over 20 years, nurse/manager at the Bustamante Hospital for Children, and Nurse of the Year 2018-19, Denise Dacres-Reeves, has seen severe cases of abuse against women and children.
From burns to gunshot wounds, to stab wounds and broken limbs, Dacres-Reeves is pleading for the violence against our future, and the nurturers of our future, to end.
“When I was stationed in Spanish Town (hospital), I would see severe cases of women who were beaten, who came in with broken arms, legs and ribs, bruises to their chests and other parts of their anatomy. I also saw women who were stabbed and chopped,” she began.
She added, “The children came in too with chops and stabs (wounds), and often times it would be a repercussion of the culprit not being able to catch the mother. In other cases, their wounds would have been as a result of their parents being in a state of anger and throwing whatever they could find at them.”
Dacres-Reeves said with the numerous children who present with wounds as a result of abusive situations, social workers are quickly put on the case for intervention in an effort to prevent future occurrences.
“We have children who were caught between gang feuds and got shot. There are children who have been burnt up in homes. Whatever the scenario is, we have seen it. It is at this point that the social worker intervenes and investigates, and depending on what the findings are, the relevant government bodies are notified and the follow-ups are done.”
In bringing greater awareness to this ever-growing problem, the Nurses’ Association of Jamaica (NAJ) is continuing its Orange Day walk, an initiative that speaks out against the abuse of women and children.
Colleague gunned down
With a former Nurse of the Year spearheading the initiative four years ago, November 25 is the day recognised for the fight against violence towards women and children. However, on the 25th day of each month, or the closest possible day to the 25th, the NAJ supports the move to speak out against this malady.
Dacres-Reeves said after a colleague was gunned down by her ex-partner some time ago, it made the issue more real to her and has caused a stronger emphasis to be placed on this.
“This year we’ll be having two walks: one in Mandeville, today January 26, and the second will be on March 23 in Kingston. We are just standing as a professional body with other corporate entities to say: end this now.”
She continued, “To the women who are victims, brave up, step up and step out. Though it is hard for you to do, you have to dig deep in your reserve and realise it’s either do or die: ‘I need to get out of this before it’s too late, get out and take my children with me’. To the abusive men, I am telling them stop now. Women and children are not your beating sticks. If it is that you are having problem with a stressor, then seek help. Help is available. Stop beating your women and children!”
Part proceeds from this walk will go towards a fund to educate the children of their colleague nurse who was killed. A part will also go towards other charitable initiatives.