Page 19 - Social Norms Survey

in which they feel comfortable and accepted because they are with people
who think like them. They feel respected.
• Hype was mentioned by the men in two groups and by women in one group.

• Poverty was said to be a reason by some persons in one community.

7. Police were always spontaneously mentioned in a negative light by both genders
in relation to extra-judicial killings; linking with “bad men,” especially scammers;

informing on persons who gave them information; abusing their power, for example

a policeman whose bullet caught a baby when he was trying to kill a dog; and
firing guns in the air at parties and at New Year.

8. Overall the levels of self-esteem are lower among the males than among the

females. Most of the men said young men did not think well of themselves and did
not believe in themselves. The situation as described by many is summed up in this
comment from Granville: “Most have depression. And most love tell demself seh

dem cyaa get better.” Many in this position do not have any financial resources.

Dependency characterizes them: depending on someone else to motivate them;
expecting someone else to get them a contact for a job. On the other hand, most
young women thought well of themselves most of the time or at least some of the

time—the group was split fairly evenly between these two views.

9. Many students drop out of school before 11th grade. The focus groups estimated that
this was 25.0–50.0 per cent of the females, and much higher for the boys at 65.0–90.0

per cent. Reasons given for the girls include lack of money to send them to school

or pregnancy (often happening as a consequence of trying to raise this money).
For the boys the reasons were that they take up with the wrong company, start to
smoke, and may be expelled; as was the case with many of the PMI youth. Scarce

resources surely play a part from some but no one mentions this in relation to boys

(possibly indicating a bias). Some boys leave to take up scamming opportunities.

10 About half of the female dropouts return to school. Some will attend a Women’s

Centre if one is near to their communities; their partner will support some and some

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