Dear Editor,
As far as I can recall, speaking against wrongs would sometimes get me into problems which ended up with me being assaulted and being admitted at the hospital once, charged and hauled before the Court once, making enemies and almost getting into fights. Apart from that, my family and relatives also face some form of victimization.
Despite the above mentioned, I refuse to change but am a little more cautious.
Quite recently, a couple moved into a house near to where I reside. The young woman has two daughters, seven and six years old from a previous marriage and a three-month-old baby for her present partner. Much to the annoyance of my wife and residents around, the man started to abuse the girls physically immediately after moving in. Whilst socializing with the people around who are mostly men, they all claim to hear the girls screaming. All of the men are angry at the treatment the girls are enduring because these girls seem to get beaten mercilessly regularly. I overheard the “stepfather” describing in detail more than once, what men will do to them. Much more happens to these poor little girls and I would always hear complaints whenever I am around so upon queries, I made contact with someone from the Social Services Ministry and gave him the details. Two days after, he visited the people and talked to them, they immediately wanted to know who complained and the very afternoon they left with the three children. Three days after, they returned minus the two girls and I informed the contact from Social Services. The very next day the girls came but only after they were contacted by the Social Services again.
Why would someone allow a stepfather to brutalize her children? What would happen if the children’s father visited the same time? What will be the children’s fate if they are allowed to live in that abusive home? Can’t their father get custody of them? Could counseling help them?
I don’t want to cause distress or pains to anyone, but then again, I ain’t going to stay quiet! Happy Mother’s Day to all Mothers, you truly deserve it!
Yours faithfully,
Sahadeo Bates
