So many single mothers in the DR

[carl ericson70]

All,
I'm not condemning anyone,I'm basicly just seeking some insight into why it seems to be so common for young dominican women to be single mothers,with little to no support from their children's fathers?

Carl E.

 

[Chirimoya]

I haven't got an answer to the question 'why' but I have some more details. Across the Caribbean region about half of households are headed by women: this statistic is about the same for the DR as a country.

As well as good old fashioned desertion/paternal irresponsibility - about which, no doubt, much more will follow below - another factor is migration. Many men leave the countryside for the city and others leave the country altogether leaving their families behind.

A curious case is some of the towns of the south-west Dominican Republic where a great number of women have migrated to Europe. This however did not result in male-headed households with single fathers taking responsibility for the children: the older women of the family took over childcare leaving the men with little to do but wait for the remittances.

Chiri

 

[Larry]

It's a result of the attitude towards responsibility in general.

Larry

 

[Ken]

I know several very nice young women with good jobs who wanted very much to have a child but had no interest in marrying the father. The fathers take an interest in the childen, but they are raised by mothers. Kids are bright, well cared for and both mother and child happy.

 

[kunky]

question? if the fathers have no interest in supporting their children, do the moms get government help? any kind of child tax? extra income according to their income? i was amazed at how shocked the men were when they found out i was 37 with only 2 kids and my friend who at the same age had no children. is there a welfare system in the dr?

 

[Robert]

The answer to all the above questions is, NO.

 

[Criss Colon]

First of all I will take exception to Kens Statement!

Then I will suport Larry's correct answer!
Ken,your anecdotal story about the happy and well cared for children,and their "Happy" mothers may be true for 1% of the "Fatherles" dominican families.I think that having children when there is no "Father" in the home is "Child Abuse"!It is then repeated several times!

My biggest fear,and sadness,is that at 57 years of age,I will not be here to nurture my 3 young children.I feel guilt because of this.At least I have provided very well for their future.

It is the lack of responsibilty that Larry brought up,and that I feel is the root problem in the DR,that is repeated over and over due to absentee fathers in the DR!

This problem of "Children having children" is by no means confined to the DR.

Here we have 4 factors together which contribute to the gravity of the problem,ignorance,poverty,"Machismo",and the Catholic Church!Not much hope,when no one cares!

As long as the "POOR" continue to breed like dogs,there will continue to be a never ending supply of "Cheap Laborers" for the rest of us!!

Cris Colon

 

[Jimmyrisas]

Sex Education

The school system in the Dominican Republic has been implementing Sex Education in their curriculum.
All over the world, including the United States is a fact that low-income Kids tend to bear more children out of wedlock.
Actually in the past decade, fatherless kids, have been decreasing their numbers in the Dominican Republic.
We can say thanks to better awareness education.

 

[carl ericson70]

Umm

"I haven't got an answer to the question 'why' but I have some more details. Across the Caribbean region about half of households are headed by women: this statistic is about the same for the DR as a country. "

"As well as good old fashioned desertion/paternal irresponsibility - about which, no doubt, much more will follow below - another factor is migration. Many men leave the countryside for the city and others leave the country altogether leaving their families behind."

Yes! that's correct there's always a steady-stream of men migrating from rural settings to the cities and,as you mentioned,outside of the carribean altogether.I also agree that out-of-wedlock births are high in most other carribean countries.

Later!
Carl