The rally, which will be held under the theme “Break The Silence, Stop the Violence,’ is planned for next Thursday (November 25th) at the Bourda Cricket Ground and will coincide with the observance of International Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women.
Varshnie Singh of the Kids First Fund along with overseas-based Guyanese Dianne Madray of the Irene Madray Recreational Arts and Resources Centre (IMRARC) and Kaieteur News columnist Stella Ramsaroop are the organizers and the programme is being supported by Help & Shelter, Red Thread. It will focus on information sharing and education as well as raising awareness through the arts.
During a recent interview with Stabroek News, the three women said that they want to bring everyone who is concerned about the increase of domestic violence in Guyana together to take on the fight of eliminating it. “No one is being left out, it is for everybody who wants to make a difference,” Singh explained.
The women made it clear that the fact that the event will focus on violence against women does not mean that they condone violence against men or that they are ‘men haters.’ “I always say just because I care for abused women doesn’t mean that I am a man hater…, it does not work like that, it is just that there is an obvious need for what we are doing [and] there is a hole that needs to be filled,” Ramsaroop said.
According to Madray, based on her experience with some domestic violence victims through IMRARC, many have difficulty reading and writing. “So how do you get to them if they can’t read or write?
You can’t give them a pamphlet or brochure and say ‘Here, this is a manual on how to deal with domestic violence.’ So the best approach…is to reach them through the arts and studies have shown creating healing through the art is very effective, especially when dealing with people that suffer post trauma,” she said.
Madray added that the idea behind the theme of the event is to break the cultural barrier associated with the issue and to encourage women, including those who have not experienced domestic violence directly, to speak out. “It is time to say ‘No, we are not going to take this anymore, we are going to step up and do something about it,’” she said.
Picking up on this point, Ramsaroop pointed out that in many cases after a woman would have been killed by her partner, there are neighbours or relatives who would detail a history of the abuse they experienced. She said it is hoped that after the rally, everyone would come together and speak out and assist each other.
She added that it is hoped that the arts component of the programme would start the healing process through the many poems, drama and songs that would have been presented.
Singh explained that the event would be partly a show to raise awareness through the arts while there would be information booths on hand. She added that the last part of the event, which would involve the arts, some lessons on the root cause of domestic violence as well as the impact of violence, especially on children, would be shared.
Importantly, Singh said, that part of the programme would be meditative, in an effort to teach peaceful living and conflict resolution in relationships.
“If we want to eliminate domestic violence and all forms of violence then we all have to be peaceful but then how do we get there…” Singh said, adding that people need to be educated about what could be done within the law on domestic violence, among other issues. “We have to be concerned for one another as ambassadors of peace…so, if something is happening to you I should be concerned and not turn over while you are being flogged to death next door,” she said. “And with this kind of healthy interest in our neighbours, [and] in our streets that we live in, then the spirit would be revived and then we can say we have zero tolerance for domestic violence.”
Singh said victims are in need of help to become survivors but the kind of assistance they need is not available in Guyana, such as the infrastructure to house them safely and help with their children. “So part of our programme is doing that [providing a safe place for women] and we would also help with training and education and the guidance and non-religious meditation of trying to heal the spirit, which is very much broken but you can’t see it when you are in the situation,” she said.
Further, Ramsaroop noted that the programme would give emotional support to victims, whom she said are in dire need of it.
Additionally, according to Singh, they would also be going into schools to speak to children and teach them life skills and peaceful conflict resolution.
She said, if “we get peaceful children then we would get peaceful adults.” Madray added that they would like to teach young women not to define themselves by the love they have for a male or their relationship and to teach young men that there are different ways to deal with issues.
Singh is confident that domestic violence could be eliminated, saying that despite limited resources it is possible with everyone working together.
She suggested that there be ongoing training of police officers and the creation of a unit to deal with the issue. She said none of the persons involved in that unit should be perpetrators of domestic violence. Both Madray and Ramsaroop have left their homes to come to Guyana and assist with the issue and Singh revealed that Madray also put her career on hold to help with the organisation of the programme.
The women emphasized that their group has no political agenda but rather it is a humanitarian venture and their main focus to help the victims of domestic violence.
