– GUYWID
Violence against women has become a disease similar to cancer and HIV for which there seems to be no cure, the Guyanese Women Development (GUYWID) organisation has said while stressing that violence against women weakens, and, to an extent, destroys the social fabric which keeps humans together.
The organisation in a release to mark International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, observed yesterday, said the violence women experience “mocks at our ability to respond unequivocally and decisively, and leaves us more vulnerable and susceptible than ever before.”
The release noted that in war-torn and post-conflict societies, women and children, especially girl children, experience types of violence unimaginable to many Guyanese. “Sodomy, rape and murder are just a few of the gruesome acts perpetrated against women and children on a daily basis.” However, the organisation pointed out the rate at which women and girls are becoming victims of extreme violent behaviour here it makes one wonder whether “we are consciously trying to catch up with the DR Congo, Darfur and others.
“Violence against women in Guyana has reached new proportions, both in terms of ghastliness and number of cases.”
According to GUYWID the recent upsurge in violence against women, especially domestic violence, pleads for more decisive and radical responses. “The traditional palliative measures, such as restraining orders, fines and short periods in lock-ups are no longer adequate,” the release noted. It called for the nation to be more effective in enforcing the rules we already have, as well as being creative in coming up with new solutions.
It recognised the efforts of the government, especially the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, and President Bharrat Jagdeo’s recent consultation on domestic violence with various stakeholders.
The organisation proposed some actions that should be considered with urgency and these include that the perpetrator of violence should be prosecuted whether the victim withdraws the complaint or not and that it become mandatory for doctors and nurses to immediately document and report cases they suspect to be the result of violence, especially domestic violence and rape. Teachers should also be trained to detect early signs of abuse of children, or of children living in abusive homes and reporting such cases to the Ministry of Human Services or police should be mandatory. Managers and supervisors in both public and private entities must also be trained to detect signs of abuse among their workforce. Rape must become an unbailable offence and friends, neighbours, church and community leaders cannot afford to take the ‘no-interference’ attitude any longer.
