This newspaper reported yesterday that a woman of Shieldstown, West Bank Berbice is to appear in court next week charged with abusing the eight-year-old son of her deceased brother. The physical, mental and emotional abuse which the child had been enduring for a while, included severe beatings, being chained up for hours and being refused food. Residents in the area who were aware of the child’s situation said they had made reports at the child’s school as they were “afraid to intervene” directly. Probation officers were eventually informed and rescued the child; they also informed the police, hence the pending charges.
One hopes that all concerned are aware of the need for follow-through. Removing the child from the harmful environment is not the end of the matter. There must be successful prosecution of this case in order to send a message to others engaging in similar behaviour and to secure justice for the child. That he receives counselling is a must, but lawful punishment meted out tohis abuser would enhance his healing and boost his faith in humanity.
The brutality meted out to this child as well as three others in the same area was brought to the public’s attention at a seminar held on Wednesday to mark International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women at Fort Wellington, West Berbice, a sobering reminder that while women are overwhelmingly on the receiving side of violence, some of them also commit heinous acts which must be condemned. One hopes the seminar was able to transmit to participants that they must also commit to non-violence if the cycle is to end.
In the two other cases, it was reported that a stepmother and father were keeping two girls aged nine and ten years old away from school and forcing them to catch and sell fish. There was no indication as to whether these parents were also charged, but they should be since their actions involve child labour, abuse and denial of the children’s rights to education among other things.
In the third case, it was found that an 11-year-old had been impregnated by her stepfather and he has since been arrested and charged and placed on $600,000 bail. The report did not explore the role, if any, of the mother of this child in the sexual abuse meted out to her. But one hopes this will be examined if it has not been done as yet and the necessary measures applied. The need for forward movement on updating the sexual offences legislation becomes all the more urgent when cases such as these are found, as the rape of a minor should be a non-bailable offence. In addition, removal of the child from the environment in which the rape has occurred should be mandatory and automatic.
International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women was a particularly low-key affair this year. While groups such as the Women’s Progressive Organisation held outreaches in various areas, there was a peculiar silence at the national level. Granted, one does not need a special day to work towards eliminating violence. However, countries tend to use the observance to report on strides made and plans to scale up efforts in the future. Are we to assume, in the face of the increase in the numbers of battered women and the rise in deaths in the domestic violence scenario that there was nothing to report? That would be a terrible shame.
Internationally, 16 days of activism against violence against women and girls began on November 25 and will end on December 10, which is Human Rights Day. There is still time to catch up.