Dear Editor,
2011 has started very badly for women and children in Guyana. Two women have already been murdered by their male partners; another woman lies in hospital seriously injured from multiple stab wounds inflicted by her partner; an 11-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a police officer at the BV police station; a 9-year-old boy committed suicide; a male and female student from one of the most prestigious schools in Guyana were filmed having oral and penetrative sex; a teacher has been charged for sexually assaulting female secondary school students. And these are only the cases that have been reported in the media. We are less than two months into a new year and it already seems as though domestic violence, gender-based violence and child abuse are set to continue unabated.
It is alarming to read in SN of February 17 that according to Vanessa Francis, repeated reports of domestic violence, including serious threats from her former reputed husband to the Cove & John police station, never resulted in arrests or charges being laid. The Commander, officer in charge of Cove & John and the Commissioner of Police must explain what investigation was done and why this attempted murderer was not charged and placed before the court. Police response to reports of domestic violence continues to be largely inadequate and not in keeping with the force’s own policy and procedures on domestic violence. The frequent breaches of DV policy and procedures result in murder, maiming and other life-threatening injuries, mainly to women like Vanessa Francis. While the police force continues to fall short in fulfilling its responsibilities – we are, for example, still to see the establishment and operation of the promised and much-needed specialized domestic violence and sexual assault units – domestic violence continues to escalate and is the leading cause of injury to women between the ages of 15 and 44. The old mantra of lack of resources is simply not acceptable.
Help & Shelter is on record for having advocated for the offence of “wandering” to be abolished – and indeed for the entire Juvenile Offenders Act to be repealed – and Minister of Human Services Priya Manickchand, promised to see to this when she first became minister. This supposed offence of “wandering” was the reason for the 11-year-old girl who was allegedly raped having been taken to and kept at the BV police station. If the offence had been abolished, then the circumstances in which the alleged rape took place would not have occurred, nor would they if there was a holding facility for children under 14. Even with recent new legislation, the system for the protection of children continues to fail the children of Guyana. How many more murders, rapes, suicides and abuses of children do we need before adequate steps are taken to rectify this situation? Can the Ministry of Human Services say what resources have been allocated for the improvement and extension of essential services for the protection of children in the recent budget?
If the women and children of Guyana are not to be subjected to continued violence and abuse, it is essential that scarce resources be allocated to where they will do most good for prevention and protection, and that the efficiency and efficacy of their use be systematically monitored. (It would, for example, be interesting to learn what have been the results of the much touted faith-based training workshops, for which $15,000,000 was reportedly allocated.)
Yours faithfully,
Danuta Radzik
Denise Dias
Vidyaratha Kissoon
Josephine Whitehead
For Help & Shelter
