For Shanecia Stewart, the cycle of abuse began when she was just three years old. Living with her parents in a Jamaican tenement yard, she became the target of a trusted neighbor known only as “Finger” — the first in a long line of predators that would eventually include her own father. It would take 14 long years for Stewart to finally break free from her abusers, but the trauma she carried pushed her down a self-destructive path, shaped by years of unaddressed pain.
Today, Stewart has rebuilt her life as a trained child protection specialist, counselor, pastor, and published author. Now, she is turning her personal journey of healing into collective action, preparing to host *Destitute. Redeemed. Restored: The Catalyst Summit*, a landmark event dedicated to supporting survivors of sexual violence across Jamaica. Scheduled to run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on June 6, 2026, at the iconic Jamaica Pegasus hotel, the summit is framed as a strategic intervention to drive long-term societal change around one of the nation’s most underaddressed crises.
Stewart stresses that sexual abuse has reached epidemic proportions in Jamaica, with thousands of survivors trapped in cycles of suffering and silence. When she first found the courage to disclose her father’s abuse to her grandmother, her claims were dismissed as lies. This experience, she says, is far too common. Stigma, denial, and cultural silence have allowed the crisis to fester, discouraging survivors from coming forward to seek help.
Men and boys, she notes, face unique barriers to reporting. Shame, social stigma, and fear of judgment leave male survivors disproportionately likely to stay silent, resulting in massive underreporting of male sexual assault. Unaddressed trauma from this violence leaves many survivors stuck in cycles of pain that often ripple out into broader society, fueling higher rates of violence and intergenerational trauma. That gap in support is what the Catalyst Summit aims to fill: the event is open to survivors of all ages, genders, and backgrounds, whether they are ready to begin their own healing journey or want to support a loved one who has experienced abuse.
While childhood sexual assault is disproportionately common in low-income Jamaican communities, Stewart emphasizes that the issue cuts across every social class. Data bears this out: the 2024 Jamaica Violence against Children and Youth Survey confirms that one in four females and one in 10 males in the country experienced sexual violence during childhood, resulting in thousands of reported cases annually, with many more going uncounted.
The summit will bring together a cross-sector lineup of leading experts to discuss critical topics ranging from confronting sexual abuse and trauma-informed care to long-term trauma impacts, financial empowerment for survivors, and navigating the justice system. Confirmed speakers include Suzette Buchanan, Chief Executive Officer of Bellevue Hospital; United Nations Peace Ambassador Natassia Wright; Renate McDonald, CEO of Learn Grow Invest; attorney-at-law Kimberly O’Meally-Rock; and trauma specialist Chantaeu Munroe. Representatives from the Centre for Investigation of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse (CISOCA) and the Jamaica Constabulary Force will also contribute to the discussions, with Stewart herself leading much of the event’s programming.
Stewart outlines that the summit is built on three core pillars: national healing and restoration, systemic social advocacy, and grassroots community mobilization. For her, the event is far more than just a one-day conference or a networking opportunity. The recent publication of her memoir, which details her journey of survival, marked a permanent public commitment to addressing trauma, supporting survivors navigating identity loss, and equipping people to reclaim their personal agency after abuse.
“A resilient nation is built on whole, empowered individuals,” Stewart explains. By centering critical conversations and bringing long-overdue visibility to a crisis that holds back national development, she aims to push for systemic change and create space for restoration for the countless Jamaicans who have not yet been able to find the support to heal on their own. A portion of all proceeds from the summit will be donated to Eve for Life Jamaica, a non-profit organization that provides support to women and girls impacted by sexual and gender-based violence and HIV/AIDS.
Stewart says her own path to redemption was deeply shaped by her faith. In 2016, she lost both of her parents, and at that point she was a suicidal, bitter single mother who carried deep anger toward God. “I honestly hated Him, but He met me in my mess anyway,” she shared. It was only when she allowed herself to be honest about her hurt, disappointment, and distrust that her journey of healing began. Today, she says, divine empowerment is what drives her mission, and she is convinced that faith paired with practical action and accessible resources can deliver meaningful, lasting healing for survivors. To support this spiritual dimension of the work, the summit will feature worship leaders Arianna Whyte-Burton and Akilah Griffiths-Shannon, with Bishop Tyrone Whyte and Prophet David Shaw on hand to provide spiritual support for attendees.