Non-profit leader calls out shootings aimed at women
A surge in gun crimes against women reflects an “erosion” of values, a non-profit organisation said.
The Women’s Resource Centre recognised the killing of Janae Minors on Tuesday as the fourth firearms death aimed at women within the past five years.
Juanae Crockwell, the executive director of the WRC, said this moment should be a “call to action” for the women of Bermuda to speak out.
She added: “We urge every woman to take a firm and personal stand — not as victims, but as agents of change.
“We must have the courage to call out antisocial behaviour and gang activity wherever we see it — in our relationships, in our homes, in our children and in our wider community.”
Ms Crockwell continued: “Silence only allows violence to take deeper root. If we witness wrongdoing, we must speak out.
“If we hold information that can support police investigations, we must come forward. Justice and safety depend on community operation.”
Ms Minors, 37, was murdered by a lone gunman in her boutique, Beauty Monster, on the corner of Court Street and Dundonald Street.
The incident happened across the street from another shooting last month, which claimed the lives of Nakai Robinson, 18, and Natrae Eversley, 23, and injured a third man.
“On behalf of the Corporation of Hamilton, I extend our deepest and most heartfelt condolences to the family, loved ones and friends of Ms Janae Minors.
“Though I did not know Janae personally, I do know the pain of losing a parent at a young age. My thoughts are especially with her children, who now face life without their mother. I ask our community to surround them with support and care in the days ahead.
“In the past, the city has refrained from commenting on individual tragedies, out of respect and to avoid politicising these painful moments. But we cannot remain silent in the face of continued violence.
“It should never be the expectation in Bermuda that someone leaves for work in the morning and does not return home because of gun crime.
“Thoughts and prayers are not enough. Each of us must ask what we can do — as individuals and as a community — to bring about change.
“For our part, the Corporation has, for many years, advocated for stronger safety measures in Hamilton — seeking expanded authority for our enforcement officers, calling for increased policing in the city and pressing for legislative changes to better protect our people.
“Gun violence has no place in our city — or in Bermuda. We cannot and will not tolerate it. This senseless act has shaken our community and serves as a painful reminder that safety must remain our highest priority.
“As a city, we will continue working alongside the Bermuda Police Service and the Government. We will keep pressing for greater resources and a stronger presence on our streets. Hamilton must be, and will be, a safe place for all.
“To Janae’s family, please know the city stands with you — in grief, in remembrance and in our determination to honour her life with action.”
Ms Crockwell said that women were central to “the structure of our society” because of their prominent roles as homemakers.
She highlighted that a 2016 census listed 2,931 single-parent households on the island — almost 90 per cent of which were headed by women.
Ms Crockwell said: “When women become the targets of gang-centred violence, it signals a severe breakdown in the social fabric and collected values of our society.
“This is not an issue confined to certain households or neighbourhoods — it impacts us all.”
Ms Crockwell said that investments needed to be made in “the next generation” of women and girls by teaching them how to better stand up against antisocial behaviour.
She explained that the WRC programme Herstory helped girls to build confidence and self esteem while also understanding what they could do shape society.
Ms Crockwell further advocated for systemic changes, saying the problem was the result of “many interwoven challenges that have gone unaddressed for too long”.
She explained: “Cycles of trauma, abuse, poverty, unemployment, inequities in education and opportunity, untreated mental health concerns and substance misuse are all deeply connected to the violence we are now seeing unfold in our community.
“Breaking these cycles requires intentional, data-driven interventions and holistic support that address both the root causes and the ripple effects of violence.”
Ms Crockwell pointed to several efforts around the world involving women curbing violence, including in South Africa, Mexico, Chicago and Liberia.
She further spotlighted to the local group, Mothers on a Mission, which unites women who have been affected by gang violence in the name of antiviolence advocacy.
Ms Crockwell said these women embodied “resilience in the face of unthinkable loss”.
She added that the women of Bermuda had a role to play in extinguishing violence.
Ms Crockwell said: “It is up to us to decide whether these tragedies will soon be forgotten or become catalysts for change.
“Let us honour the women whose lives have been stolen by committing ourselves to the hard and often thankless work of reclaiming our community.”
Diante Trimm, a 37-year-old mother of five, was shot inside her Pembroke home in June 2024.
Before her, 31-year-old Garrina Cann was also murdered inside her Pembroke residence in September 2020.
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