Aiming to reduce troubling domestic violence rates, an Ogle, East Coast Demerara businessman has embarked on a campaign to sensitise men on the issue and its consequences.
Randy Shephard yesterday told the Sunday Stabroek that it was the case of Zaila Sugrim that prompted his decision.
“…It is to sensitise men that the road that they are taking, it’s not the right path to go. Our women are important, we need them. At the end of the day, you leave somebody without a daughter, somebody without a mother, somebody without a sister,” Shephard said.
Decomposed remains suspected to be those of Zaila were on Tuesday afternoon discovered in a shallow grave in a lot next to her husband’s La Union, West Coast Demerara home, days after she was reported missing.
Hours after the discovery, businessman Ryan Sugrim admitted to the crime. He told investigators that he shot Zaila, set her alight and then buried her remains.
An autopsy showed that Zaila died as a result of a gunshot injury to the head.
The couple shared an abusive relationship. On several occasions, Zaila left but returned because of her children who were living with their father.
“When you take these women lives, its either you end up in prison or take your own life and the kids is left there to suffer. It doesn’t matter what extent or whatever she may have done or whatever but there is no need to take her life. You didn’t give life to her,” Shephard said.
Shephard started the campaign by pasting a graphic design on the rear windshield of his car on Friday. The design displays images of abuse and bears the words, “Let’s work together to stop domestic violence. This is not right. It is damaging our society.”
Since then, Shephard said, he has been getting tremendous responses from the public.
“I am driving and people would stop me and ask me if it’s a company, if it’s something from the government and that is what is encouraging me to keep pushing. People would see it, want to know why it’s there and after hearing the reason, they come on board,” the businessman related. “Let’s work as Guyanese to get this fixed,” he added.
Shephard said that he plans to prepare a petition to advocate for stricter penalties for perpetrators of domestic violence.
“I am going to also try prepare a petition, to petition the government. Get the laws that pertains to domestic violence, get some serious laws in place because we need them. Non-bailable, go to prison. There is some times, the woman might go and say she doesn’t want to give evidence. We don’t want to hear that. As long as the police do their investigation and find that yes, they have evidence, it’s out of her hands. The police take control of it,” he said.
About a year ago, Ryan Sugrim allegedly attacked and injured Zaila leaving her hospitalised. He was charged with attempted murder which was later reduced to a lesser count of assault. “Nothing ain’t come out ah dah, because she went and beg fah he saying she gon give he another chance,” Zaila’s brother Ahmad Haniff had said.
Shephard observed that domestic violence is a major issue which society is plagued with on a daily basis and one that many turn a “blind eye” to.
“For me, it’s going on for too long and it’s a pattern that you keep seeing and practically every other day, or every day, you hearing about somebody kill somebody. Guyanese have a trend that their neighbour’s business is not their business and for me that is wrong. Domestic violence is everybody business. As long as you are a human being, you have a heart, you have a mind, it becomes your business,” he said.
Shephard is a single father, who said he himself attempted domestic violence in the past. “…Everybody wants to see change but I believe in being the change you want to see,” he said.
In an effort to raise awareness, the businessman said that he will be at Cuffy Square from Monday to Friday between 12 and 1 pm, starting from tomorrow.
“I want to touch every region of this country, every necessary corner of this country that I can touch to get the message out…We might not be able to change it completely but something needs to be done,” he said.
In the past week, there have been two domestic violence-related murders.
Days after Zaila’s death, Anna Regina domestic worker Farida Khayum was stabbed to death, allegedly by her husband at Anna Regina, Essequibo.
Her husband, a miner, is presently hospitalised after he attempted to take his own life by ingesting a poisonous substance.
