A/HRC/16/52/Add.3
and sheet. They also had cupboards and a sink with water and sanitary articles in their
rooms. There were four to six beds per dorm. On the lower floor there was a cell which the
girls called the “dark room”, which was used as a punishment cell. However, the room was
not really dark, and the girls who were locked there as a punishment could also leave the
room during the day. It was equipped with a bed.
201. The girls at Windsor were detained there for different reasons: some were deemed
“uncontrollable”, some were orphans, and others were held there for their own protection
(e.g. after having been sexually abused).
202. The evening before the visit of the Special Rapporteur, one girl had allegedly stabbed
another girl with a knife. The injured girl had been taken to hospital, and the Superintendent
was on her way back from Kingston to investigate the incident. All girls had been locked
down because of the incident, meaning that they could not go outside of the building or
leave the respective floors in the building.
Individual cases
203. C., aged 14. She had been at the children’s home for almost a year. She indicated
that the house mothers beat her on the head and verbally abused her. She had also been
beaten by hand on her legs, back and head. She indicated that she had to take medication,
but could not afford to pay for it. As a form of punishment, she had to clean the bathrooms,
and she believed she had to do more work than the other girls.
204. S.B., aged 16, did not remember when she had arrived at Windsor. She wanted to go
home, but did not have any family members she could live with. She stated that the house
mothers had beaten her in her face and back when she had tried to escape. She added that
she did not like the other girls because they stole her personal items.
205. J.A.F., aged 17, had to spend three years at Windsor for being “uncontrollable”. She
complained primarily about the food. The girls had to get up between 6 and 7 a.m. The new
arrivals went to school at the compound; the others went to school outside. At 1 p.m. they
came back, had lunch and usually spent the afternoon outside playing games or doing
sports. They could also work on computers. She alleged that at St. Ann’s Police Station she
and her friend were discriminated and treated roughly (called “dogs”) because they were
lesbians. She also alleged that at Windsor girls were discriminated against because of their
colour of skin: If one had a lighter colour, she would get a nicer room, a TV and other
privileges.
206. A girl, aged 16, had allegedly attacked another girl the evening before the visit of
the Special Rapporteur. There had been a fight between the two girls; in the course of the
events, the other girl had been stabbed with a knife. Although only these two girls were
involved in the incident, the girl denied having stabbed the other. After the attack, one of
the staff separated the two girls, and with the help of other girls, they pushed her out of the
room. Then they took the wounded girl to the hospital and reported the incident to the
police. She had no complaints regarding the conditions at Windsor. Some housemothers
were nicer than others, but there were no beatings. Some men worked in the compound (as
gardeners or for repair works) but they were not allowed to go inside the dormitories. If a
girl left the compound or committed other offences, she would get locked into the “dark
room” downstairs, sometimes for two days. If one had parents, she could be visited
regularly.
207. C. H., aged 14, had been at Windsor since March 2009. She complained about
having a mental illness and other diseases, and seemed to show symptoms of schizophrenia.
She indicated that she needed a brain examination which was very expensive. She was also
scared and her neck hurt. Although she received medicine, the illness seemed to get worse.
If a girl tried to leave the compound, she would be sent to the “dark room”. This had
57
Select target paragraph3
Connect to a paragraph
Connect to an entity
Disable highlights
Add to table of contents