Hart: Male violence crippling the nation

He said the future aspirations of the country depends on men and women who pursue their full potential, live lives free of violence, and participate in productive employment and national development.

Hart was speaking yesterday at the launch of this year’s "Defining Masculine Excellence" training programme at the Aero-Services Credit Union at Orange Grove Road, Tacarigua. Hart said men who use violence, deviance, alcohol and drug abuse were often paralysed by the fear of not measuring up to mainstream perceptions of masculinity. He said they were usually condemned and crippled by voices which told them they did not meet the perceived notion of manhood.

Hart said male violence has had a devastating impact on the nation, with the loss of many.

He said more than 4,000 men were imprisoned, compared to less than 300 women and many boys were dropping out of the education system.

Hart said the programme was conceived with a vision to promote the best in masculinity.

"It seeks to train a cadre of men to understand their masculinity, adopt personal life choices and exemplify excellence in masculinity."

He said it will also take steps to assist the vulnerable to discover and develop their authentic masculinity. Hart said he was looking forward to a future in which young men would be surrounded by positive role models, and in greater measure make the choice to stay in school and participate in tertiary education and training. The programme consists of nine modules with 14 sessions to be held over a seven-week period. It will address issues such as self-esteem, man and his feelings, father and son bonding, male friendships and second class relationships, a man and his mother, and men and their life partners.

It will include therapy coaching that would guide participants to identify and recognise individual strengths, strategies for career and personal development, taking risks, being assertive and monitoring self-talk.

Ian Miller, a former participant in the programme and a senior police officer, said men were crying as they never knew they were doing something wrong. He advised the participants, who were drawn from NGOs and the protective services, to use all the information to do self-assessments and then identify their areas of growth and development.