Women prepared to do anything for money, Poverty Report shows

Some Vincentian women have made it clear that they are prepared to do anything to provide for their children -”even having sex for money”.{{more}}

This is one of the findings in the draft St.Vincent and the Grenadines Country Poverty Assessment report (2007/2008) presented to the public by Acting Prime Minister Mike Browne on Thursday, July 16th, 2009, at Frenches House.

The report stated: “Some of the women said poverty is: ‘not being able to provide for my children’; ‘when you don’t have a dollar to pay the bills, send the children to school or to give them to buy lunch’; ‘doing anything you have to get something for your children -even having sex for money’.”

The report discovered that women generally viewed poverty as an inability to provide food and other basic needs for their children and family.

It added that several women also shared the perception that being in situations of poverty led them to be taken advantage of by men.

The survey, which was carried out in 16 communities across the islands, noted that perceptions and experience with poverty differed by gender and population subgroup.

Men generally viewed poverty in relation to their role as breadwinner and provider for their families, the report explained.

For men: “Poverty is: “Struggling to make a living”, “No job, no money so can’t provide”; “Money is power and if you poor and have no money you powerless.”(HN)