In the wake of the fatal killing of local woman Joy St Omer, a senior opposition politician in Saint Lucia has sparked urgent public debate, arguing that outdated and inadequate socialization practices for boys and young men are a root contributor to the nation’s ongoing crisis of femicide and gender-based violence.
United Workers Party Senator Elisha Norbert, a former educator with a Christian upbringing, laid out his perspective on the drivers of violence against women in an exclusive interview with local outlet St Lucia Times. Drawing on decades of both personal experience and professional observation working with young people, Norbert connected patterns of male violence against women to systemic gaps in how boys are taught to process emotion, cope with setbacks, and respect women.
Raised in a devout Christian household, Norbert noted his upbringing instilled a core value of care and protection for women. “The Bible teaches us to care for women like fine china,” he explained, adding that women’s innate tendencies toward love, forgiveness, and compassion are too often twisted and exploited by emotionally stunted men in abusive relationships. It is a devastating sight, he said, to watch women continue extending kindness and support to partners even as they endure repeated harm.
Drawing on his years as a classroom teacher, Norbert pointed to shifting parenting norms that shield boys from the healthy, age-appropriate experience of failure. He cited a common modern example: parents pushing back against coaches for raising their voices at young players during football matches, depriving children of the chance to process disappointment on the field.
Too many boys today grow up never learning that setbacks are a normal part of life, he argued. They never get the opportunity to lose a game, sit with their frustration, and be guided to process that emotion in a healthy way—learning that it is okay to not win every contest. Over time, this lack of emotional practice leaves men without the regulation skills to handle rejection, conflict, or unmet expectations in adulthood.
“Honestly, I believe society is raising weak men,” Norbert said. “We’ve lost a lot in the way we raise our men, and I think we’re reaping the rewards of that. It’s detrimental to the stability of a man’s emotional regulation, and they lash out with their might and their strength and their rage that has never been controlled.”
To reverse this trend, Norbert is calling for a broad, nationwide conversation in Saint Lucia focused on rethinking how boys are raised and educated. The core priority, he says, must be redirecting greater investment and attention to building boys’ emotional intelligence from an early age, equipping them to handle life’s challenges without turning to violence.