Dear Editor,
I was appalled last Saturday night in the National Park when I witnessed the verbal and physical abuse of a woman by a man in public.
I read very often in your newspapers and in other periodicals the pleas and cries of women’s groups, organizations, and governmental authorities for the end of abuse to women by men in particular. However, I strongly believe (after witnessing that episode on Saturday last) that in many in-stances women are responsible for this continued irresponsible behaviour by our men folk.
I was standing about 20 yards from the southwestern gate where ticket collection and other security activities were being executed at the Benie Man Show. About half the distance between where I was standing and a large group of policemen, there was a man brutally assaulting a woman, which included several hard slaps, thumps and some punches to her face. At one point I thought for a moment that the cell phone she had at her ear broke her jaw due to a solid punch he gave her.
I stood and watched to see if the woman would have run to the police (who were not looking in that direction) for help. Instead, she stood there and simply took those blows and just cried. This was a very distasteful and disgusting experience for me. I used my own judgement and decided not to intervene even though I was tempted at several intervals. My thought, however, was since she was in such close proximity to the police, she would have run and sought help. But she stood there and took them all.
This experience has urged me to advise our women and sisters that the only way this will stop is to report these incidents to the legal authorities. It must stop After all, we still need, and should respect the women.
The best part of the whole episode was after all those jabs and punches, the couple left with the woman holding on to the man’s hand, as if nothing had happened. Guess my instincts not to intervene were correct.
Yours faithfully,
Bobby Vieira
