San Pedranos to march against violence

Last week we reported the alleged abuse of a Holy Cross Anglican Primary School teacher in San Pedro by her ex-common law husband, police officer Mark Martinez. Reports at the time said that the situation worsened when two of the administrators of the school, missionaries Vernon and Francis Wilson, tried to rescue her. According to the Wilsons—who went by taxi to offer assistance—officer Martinez jumped in the cab and also had an altercation with them. Today, more than a week after the incident, the issue is still steaming for residents of the town. Vernon Wilson says the bruises may have started to disappear but the memory hasn’t faded as yet and has, instead, prompted schools on the island to join in a peace march on Wednesday.

Voice of: Vernon Wilson, Director, Holy Cross
“We both were wounded by him. He tried to break my thumb. My wife’s got numerous bruises all over her body from where he slammed her around inside of the van.”

Jose Sanchez
“And you and your wife were charged?”

Voice of Vernon Wilson
“Both my wife and myself were charged with destruction of property because I tore his t-shirt while trying to restrain him from beating my wife and my wife was charged for wounding because she scratched him on the arm when he attacked her. Tomorrow morning at nine am we are doing a peaceful March, and demonstration at the central park. We will be marching around the town and culminating back at central park where we will be discussing abuse—family abuse, domestic abuse sit downs. We have copies of laws that were done in 2007 to protect abuse victims both women and men. And we will be discussing those at the park letting people know what their rights are and what options they have in case they run into the situation like my wife and I did—we were arrested for trying to protect someone from being injured by someone else.”

Jose Sanchez
“All the schools are going to be involved?”

Voice of Vernon Wilson
“We had sent out invitations to all the schools and so far the response has been very positive.”

Officer Martinez is reportedly on interdiction. Wilson says that he and his wife will get their day in court on June twenty second.