Jamaican dancehall group T.O.K has come in for more condemnation for its performance at the recent Digicel Experience concert.

Help and Shelter has joined the Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination in denouncing the use of lyrics, which it feels the group uses to promote homophobia, the culture of gun violence and violence against women. It says too that during the Valentine Day concert performance, a member of T.O.K made sexually inappropriate remarks to an underage girl. “There are a host of other well-known Caribbean artistes that project positive messages to their audiences that Digicel could have chosen for their concert and we call upon them to do so in the future,” Helper and Shelter said in a press statement.

Stabroek News was unable to contact a Digicel spokesman for an official response yesterday.

According to Help and Shelter, crime figures for 2005 and 2006 recently released by the Guyana Police Force indicate that of the 22% increase in murders – a sizeable proportion of the victims were women killed by their partners. There is also a 21% increase in robbery under arms. In this context, it feels that the society cannot be committed to the reduction of violence if it does not tackle its glorification through popular channels. “The majority of people attending the Digicel concert were no doubt young and impressionable,” it observes, while noting that the correlation between race-based propaganda and race-based violence should be instructive. It says: “A society that allows itself to be bombarded with images and lyrics that portray women as sexual objects and promote violence against women must bear the results.”

Help and Shelter also says the steady and increasing promotion of young girls and women as sexual objects is also a matter of deep concern. It points to local images used to advertise clubs and music events, and expresses concern that they are becoming more lewd and vulgar as they contribute to the continued denigration and devaluing of women in Guyana. Moreover, it says that the popular music is replete with obscene lyrics played in minibuses and other places.

Additionally, Help and Shelter says the recent Passa Passa phenomenon, which has become widely popular, is also disturbing since such events are hotbeds of the most lewd behaviour, including sexual acts in public and the full nudity of dancers. It adds that these events take place in public and are open to anyone, while young women are enticed to attend them. And with the spread of HIV still a major health problem in Guyana, Help and Shelter argues that it is only accelerated by lyrics that promote homophobia and the denigration of women. “As an organisation dedicated to the eradication of all forms of violence, we unreservedly condemn all words and deeds that promote discrimination against, the denigration of women and the use of violence towards any member of our society,” it adds.