Institute for Gender and Development Studies

Publications: Scholarly Articles

2020
Child Sexual Abuse and the Complexities of Gender, Power, and Sexuality  Rhoda Reddock, Sandra D. Reid, and Tisha Nickenig, Institute for Gender and Development Studies, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago. 2020, Journal of Interpersonal Violence. Volume 37, Issue 1-2.  Dowbload PDF. Url link here.

2019
Action research improves services for child sexual abuse in one T Caribbean nation: An example of good practice  Sandra D. Reida,⁎, Rhoda Reddockb, Tisha Nickenig, Psychiatry Unit, Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago and Institute for Gender and Development Studies, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago. Published 2019  Elsevier, Child Abuse & Neglect, The International Journal 88, 2019, 225–234. Download PDF. Url link here. 

2014
Breaking the Silence of Child Sexual Abuse in the Caribbean: A Community-Based Action Research Intervention Model Sandra D. Reid, Rhoda Reddock & Tisha Nickenig, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago, Published online: 18 Apr 2014  Taylor & Francis, Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, Volume 23, Issue 3, 2014. Download PDF.  Url link here

2010 
Changes in HIV needs identified by the National AIDS Hotline of Trinidad and Tobago.  Reid SD, Nielsen AL, Reddock R. Rev Panam Salud Publica. 2010:27(2):93–102. Download PDF. Url link here. 

The BTS campaign 

The BTS campaign emerged our of an action-research project of the Institute for Gender and Development Studies, UWI, St. Augustine. It was carried out in collaboration with the T&T Coalition Against Domestic Violence (CADV) and ChildLine as well as the Toco Foundation, Tobago House of Assembly and Arts in Action Theatre in Education organisation.It was funded primarily by UNICEF and UNWOMEN between 2008 and 2011.

The Blue Teddy symbol came to symbolize security, love, care, comfort and relationships. The plaster across it’s heart was designed to offer a sense of hope and healing. Blue underlines the popular idiom for “feeling blue”, or feelings of hurt, sadness and despair.
–Designed by Kathryn Chan and Kenneth Clarke

2013 
UWI Sport and Physical Education Centre (SPEC)’s International Half-Marathon "Text to Pledge Your Support" 
Gathering on the Institute Greens - Painting and dedication of the Break the Silence Bench

Teacher Training 

In an attempt to push forward the BTS Campaign and its main goal to strengthen gender-sensitive prevention and response approaches to CSA and implications for HIV risk among youth, in January 2017 the IGDS, UWI, St. Augustine launched an outreach initiative that includes implementation of a full-day teacher training workshop at The UWI St. Augustine. The initial training in January 2017 was held at The UWI, St. Augustine campus and included 10 teachers from eight secondary schools throughout Trinidad. The purpose of the teacher training workshop is to provide teachers with a comprehensive understanding about the intersection between gender, CSA and high risk behaviour that leads to HIV. During the initial teacher training workshop in January 2017, participating teachers provided critical feedback on how IGDS could best support teachers’ efforts to sensitive their students about gender, CSA and implications for HIV. Coming out of these discussions, IGDS has created a teacher training toolkit to assist teachers in their classroom advocacy efforts related to gender, CSA and HIV. In 2021-22 the toolkit was updated and made into a bilingual document.

BTS Campaign Student Art Contest - Along with a teacher training workshop, the annual IGDS outreach initiative will support participating teachers to implement BTS student art contests in their classrooms/schools aimed at raising student and community awareness about the BTS Campaign and CSA, gender and implications for HIV. 

2017 - Art in Schools Awards and Break the Silence Media Campaign Highlights
in commemoration of Universal Children's Day and launch of the BTS Teacher Training and Student Art Contest: Raising Awareness about Gender, Child Sexual Abuse and Implications for HIV in Trinidad and Tobago

2016 - Youth Poster Competition Web page 

2015 - Break the Silence Art Competition - Give children a voice. Be that voice.
Competition announcement     |     Announcing Winners 

About 

This BTS Network or collective, under the Institute for Gender and Development Studies at The University of the West Indies, St Augustine Campus is an umbrella group to bring together, house and to recognize the tireless work of the members of the Break the Silence Network and their teams. The members of the Network represent a diverse mix of people who are passionate, committed and driven and include community workers, NGOs, CBOs, service providers, sponsors, individuals, students and activists, all genders. It is a collaborative initiative which brings members’ experience and expertise to the mission. Members recognize the need to keep the campaign alive through sustained activities in communities.

The main aim of the BTS Network is to create and sustain a ground swell of support and activism among members, who in turn, take the campaign to their various publics through several Calls to Action. The Networks main task is to get the message out and to sustain the message through:
— the formation of BTS school/community groups/teams
— the instigation and coordination of BTS events and activities
The BTS Network provides opportunities for advocacy, networking and technical and research information exchange which can be fulfilling both at a personal and civic level.
As a Network we continue to seek new partners who share the common mission of putting an end to Child Sexual Abuse.

Conference 2011

Understanding and Preventing Child Sexual Abuse and HIV Risk: Presentation of Research Findings and an Intervention Model

Conference website 2011 

hosted by the IGDS in partnership with UNICEF and UN Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women.
Opening Ceremony Wednesday May 4th, 2011 Daaga Auditorium The University of the West Indies St. Augustine, Trinidad & Tobago
Conference Thursday May 5th and Friday May 6th, 2011 HEU Auditorium Health Economics Unit, Centre for Health Economics Faculty of Social Sciences The University of the West Indies St. Augustine, Trinidad & Tobago
YouTube Playlist 

About the Conference
A primary component of this conference is the presentation of the project community intervention model and its rigorous analysis. In addition, the conference will facilitate the emergence of recommended policy changes, new strategies, protocols and further interventions related to CSA/Incest and implications for HIV transmission. The objectives of the conference are: 1. To provide opportunities for dialogue among stakeholders to develop innovative solutions to addressing the challenges in research and implementation of policies and programmes related to child sexual abuse (CSA) / incest and HIV risk. 2. To share research findings of an action research project(1) with local and regional stakeholders to build their knowledge base, and to gain their feedback on how to enhance / revise policies and procedures related to CSA / incest and HIV, which conform to international human rights standards; 3. To share with local and regional stakeholders an intervention model aimed at preventing and responding to CSA/ incest and associated HIV risk; 4. To foster new thinking and action related to CSA / incest and implications for HIV, and influence leaders, including key policy makers and donors / partners, to increase their commitment to gender sensitive, evidence- and human rights based interventions that prevent and address CSA/incest and HIV. (1) Breaking the Silence (BTS): A Multisectoral Approach to Preventing and Addressing Child Sexual Abuse / Incest and Implications for HIV in Trinidad and Tobago

Social Media 

YouTube Playlist 

Facebook Page

UWI Today

UWI Today July 2012
The Course that Changed my Life, Warren Chanasingh

UWI Today January 2014 
Power, Pleasure and Social Justice 

UWI Today March 2010 
How we are breaking the silence By Professor Rhoda Reddock

UWI Today November 2009
Breaking the Silence – 16 Days of Activism

BTS Original Action Research Project 

About  - In January 2008 the UN Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women (managed by UNIFEM), UNICEF, and the Centre for Gender and Development Studies (CGDS)1 at the University of West Indies, St. Augustine campus signed a joint partnership to advance this action research project. The Project seeks to break the silence on the taboo subject of child sexual abuse (CSA)/incest and its implications for HIV throughout Trinidad and Tobago by empowering children, parents, communities, policy makers and service providers who work in child protection, HIV/AIDS and women’s rights. The project uses the following strategies: 
1) Building partnerships between research institutions, HIV/AIDS, women’s and children’s non-governmental organizations (NGOs), service providers, relevant governmental institutions and policy makers;
2) Action-oriented research aimed at understanding the links between gender, CSA/incest and HIV transmission, and reducing the vulnerability of youth to CSA/incest and HIV;
3) Developing the capacity of service providers (education, health, NGO, governmental, police, community) to address CSA/incest and implications for HIV; 
4) Raising awareness among policy makers and service providers to in!uence new institutional policies and protocols and a national policy that will address CSA/incest and implications for HIV.

The long-term goal of the Project was to reduce the prevalence of child sexual abuse (CSA)/incest and its implication for risky sexual behaviour and HIV. (To achieve this goal, the Project will produce new research "findings and a best practice research model, which will begin to be disseminated during the third year (Phase III) of the Project.)
The short-term objectives of the Project were to:
1. Generate new knowledge and understanding of CSA/incest and the implications for HIV
2. Empower women, men, girls and boys to understand and address CSA/incest and its implications on the spread of HIV through action research
3. Encourage service providers to revise (or) enhance policies and procedures related to CSA/incest, which conform to international human rights standards

Partnerships and funding organisations

The Coalition Against Domestic Violence of Trinidad and Tobago (CADV) was the main NGO partner to assist in data collection and intervention implementation.
Other partners included: 
Arts in Actin (AiA)
ChildLine
Toco Foundation
Caribbean Health Research Council
Rape Crisis Society of Trinidad and Tobago
Tobago House of Assembly
Citizen's Security Programme, Ministry of National Security
Ministry of Gender, Youth and Child Development  

Partners providing financial support:  
UNICEF
UN Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women
The University of West Indies
Citizen's Security Programme, Ministry of National Security
Ministry of Gender, Youth and Child Development