Social Impact with Emma » child abuse : A Jamaica Gleaner Blog

Get Safe Online – and Learn Some Life Skills

March 8th, 2020

The Broadcasting Commission is doing a grand job with public education. I do love their television ads, which are vibrant, well targeted and have a big dose of Jamaican energy and humor. Their “What If?” commercial (here’s the hip-hop version) is very well crafted, targeting youth with their warnings about the use or misuse of […]

The Word “Discipline” Means Teaching and Learning, Not Violence and Sadism

October 7th, 2017

Yet another furore has occurred over a “viral” social media post of a woman beating her daughter in her yard. This is most likely an everyday occurrence around the island; but this time, a Jamaican with a smartphone was nearby to record the child abuse. So, Jamaicans were shocked, as if they did not know […]

The Dark Side of Social Media

June 9th, 2016

I had a very interesting conversation on radio the other day on the topic: Is Social Media Dehumanizing Us? This is not a new concern, but it has not gone away. It remains a troubling presence that taps you on the shoulder every now and then. It’s a difficult one to tackle. I am afraid, […]

The Silent Community

March 9th, 2015

Sometimes the news overwhelms you, doesn’t it? It has not been an easy week for Jamaicans. Let us focus on two specific incidents, in the midst of a sea of crime and violence: the murder of two girls, Santoya Campbell in Westmoreland and Kayalicia Simpson in St. Thomas. The two cases have much in common: […]

In Praise of Courageous Women: Pat, Joy and the Moms

October 28th, 2014

“Let us now praise famous men.” You may be familiar with this quotation from the Jewish Wisdom of Sirach and Ecclesiasticus in the Bible. This week, however, I have decided to praise neither men nor famous people, but some women I know, who cannot claim to be famous either (although they really should be). So, this […]