A frustrated mother has launched a public shaming campaign against her daughter’s father, putting his name and face on a GoFundMe campaign in the hope that the embarrassment will force him to step up and assist with back-to-school expenses. Vicky*, who lives overseas while her daughter remains in Jamaica, said she did not want to expose her child or put her face on social media. Instead, she deliberately made the child’s father the face of the fundraising campaign. “The GoFundMe was to embarrass him to see if he will try and reach out because he did not want his daughter to be on social media, or him seeking assistance,” she told THE STAR. Vicky said she initially wrestled with the idea of launching the campaign but eventually decided she had little choice. “I would think he wouldn’t want his face on the media getting assistance, and if I have to use a GoFundMe to get some help, not using my child face or name and use your face, that is what we are going to do,” she said. According to Vicky, the father is well known and enjoys being out and about, but does not like seeing his photographs circulated in the media. “So, me posting his name and face triggers him,” she said. And trigger him it apparently did. Vicky said the father had blocked her, leaving her with virtually no way to communicate with him.  However, one day after she posted the GoFundMe on TikTok,, she said he unblocked her. But there was still no discussion about their daughter’s back-to-school needs. For Vicky, that was the latest chapter in what she described as a deeply frustrating relationship with the child’s father. She said the pregnancy was planned and that the couple had discussed marriage and starting a family. She said they were together for about 10 years and that the father was once heavily involved in their daughter’s life. “When we are together, he does everything for her, but, when we have any form of disagreement, he stop taking care of the child,” she claimed. She said the pattern became particularly painful whenever the relationship broke down. Vicky recalled asking the father to contribute towards their daughter’s birthday celebration, but claimed he refused, saying the child was too young to remember it. “He sent no birthday money or even called or text. I haven’t heard from him since June,” she said. Now, with back-to-school expenses looming, Vicky said she reached her breaking point. “I had to do what I had to do because it is not easy. So me having to do this is crazy because it should not have to come down to this,” she said. She also claimed that neither the father nor members of his family contacted her after the GoFundMe went public to ask what the child needed. The campaign has attracted attention from strangers willing to help. And, while she admits the campaign was initially designed to get the father’s attention, she insists the need is real. “I just didn’t want to go to that route,” she said, claiming that the father is “way more financially stable”. “He wanted me to make how much sacrifice and he does nothing for back-to-school,” she fumed. The campaign is seeking to raise US$2,200 (approximately J$345,000) to help send the four-year-old back to school but, to date, it has received just one donation of US$5 (about J$785). Meanwhile, Vicky said the campaign has revealed a much bigger problem, claiming more than 100 women have contacted her with similar stories. “Some persons reach out and asked how they can help, they don’t know how to use GoFundMe, but they send it to my account. In the end, I just want the assistance, and this is something common because I have 113 women in my DM going through the same thing, and worse,” Vicky said.

* Name changed to protect identity