Dear Editor,

The media’s role in changing the attitudes to domestic violence in Guyana has been noted. There is a problem, however, in the way in which the media does its reporting. Pamela Mangru’s death is the most recent in a series of cases in which men kill women they are supposed to love. And yet, Pamela Mangru’s relationship history has been reported and all of the choices she made have been exposed for all and sundry to comment on. And people now are free to say, look, she seemed to deserve it and then we wipe our hands, because she apparently brought it on herself.

So what of the man who is likely to be charged for killing her? What about his family, friends, army buddies? Don’t they get asked how is a child nurtured into a man who will then abuse women? We read that in the case of celebrity Chris Brown, his mother sits with him in court as he pleads innocent to the charges of assaulting his girlfriend Rihanna. Rihanna’s family history and past is speculation for the media. What about Chris Brown? And his mother and father?

The PNC wants to blame the government. It is true that the government launched its policy with much fanfare and then there is little sign of implementing what is in the policy. There still is no Domestic Violence Task Force to account to the public on the progress of implementation of the policy. But then, what is the PNC as a political party (and other political parties) doing about their constituents and members who are abusive to their spouses and children?

In Kaieteur News of April 7, 2009 we read of a comment how the police are pro-women in their response to domestic violence reports, and yet, in other parts, the police are blamed for not taking the reports seriously! This kind of inconsistency is part of the problem, so even if women want to report (as Minister Manickchand wants to have happen), there is no certainty as to how the reports will be dealt with.

Regardless of how Pamela Mangru and the other women coped with their relationships, the real criminals are the men who beat and killed them. Let us not forget that and let us condemn abusive behaviour clearly.

Yours faithfully,
Vidyaratha Kissoon