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HAMILTON, Bermuda, CMC – National Security, Michael Weeks, says Bermuda cannot address the issue of violence if it does not take into account the mental and emotional strain “men are carrying” as the government launch a new initiative to deal with the situation.
The “Healing Starts Here,” is the third campaign under the ”Stop the Violence” public awareness initiative that forms part of Bermuda’s National Violence Reduction Strategy and focuses on the connection between mental health, unhealed trauma, and violence, particularly among men and young people.
“We cannot talk about violence in this country without talking about what men are carrying mentally and emotionally. There are men in our community dealing with grief, trauma, pressure, and pain, often in silence. If we are serious about change, we have to be honest about that.”
Weeks said unresolved trauma and untreated mental health challenges are often at the root of harmful behaviours, adding that “many young men, particularly Black men, grow up without safe spaces to express vulnerability, process loss, or ask for help without judgment.”
The government said that creating safer neighbourhoods and a safer island means facing the truth, even when it is uncomfortable and that “Healing Starts Here” is rooted in the real experiences many men in the community live through every day, including the pressure to provide, grief that goes unspoken, anger that builds without release, and the expectation to “be strong” no matter what.
It said that too often, men are taught to carry pain instead of confronting it; to stay quiet instead of speaking; and to push through instead of processing. Over time, that silence can turn into frustration, disconnection, depression, and, in some cases, violence.
The authorities said the campaign creates space to acknowledge that reality while encouraging honest conversations and access to support.
They said that “Stop the Violence” is a multi-phase public awareness campaign designed to shift mindsets, prevent violence, and address the deeper emotional and social issues that drive it.
Healing Starts Here aims to break the silence around men’s mental health, help men recognise what they are carrying before it turns into harm, normalise real conversations about grief, anger, and emotional stress, challenge the idea that vulnerability is weakness, encourage men to seek support without shame and connect individuals to Bermuda’s existing mental health and community services
“There are men who are hurting quietly, and it shows up in ways we don’t always recognise right away. This campaign aims to reach those individuals before that pain turns into something destructive, for themselves or others,” Weeks said.
The campaign features voices from professionals and community leaders who understand the challenges firsthand and through a series of candid video messages, each speaker addresses real-life situations, from suppressed anger and grief to the pressure of masculinity, while offering both understanding and practical guidance.
“Healing Starts Here is not just a campaign. It is a call to shift how the community sees strength, how men are supported, and how violence is addressed at its root,” said Weeks.
“Because if safer communities are the goal, healing the people inside them must be part of the work,” he added.
