Dear Editor,
On the night of Saturday, October 13th, two GDF officers are reported to have approached a couple at the Anna Regina Community Centre Ground on the Essequibo Coast (Region 2) and robbed the young man of his valuables before taking turns to rape the young woman in front of her boyfriend. They then fled the scene while the victims reported the matter to the Anna Regina Police Station located nearby. Within fifteen minutes after the matter was reported, all ranks were reportedly summoned to return to the base which juxtaposes the crime scene. The base was then shut down. The young woman was rushed to the Suddie hospital and forced to remain there in her soiled clothes, pain and post-traumatic distress until 12:00 the following day, before a gynaecologist finally turned up. However, she could not be tended to without the presence of the Police. In the absence of a female police officer at the Anna Regina Police Station, the ranks present recommended that the victims’ families go to a female officer’s residence and transport her to the hospital. The victim received medical attention at 14:00.
The young man – a minor who I’ve known since he was born – went into a prolonged state of shock before shutting down. He along with his girlfriend, are now in need of professional help and counselling to prevent any further deterioration of their emotional health. After the matter was reported and the alleged rapists were formally identified, the families of the victims allege that their main concern is the reluctance of the Police who seem unwilling to cooperate. The families have also indicated that the mothers and relatives of the alleged rapists, who hail from Georgetown, are pressuring the victims to accept financial compensation instead of pursuing legal. The victims’ families allege that these relatives would show up at the victims’ residence to coerce them into dropping the matter. One of the mothers would have even offered to return the gold necklace which was stolen from the victims.
Editor, for too long our daughters have been forced to live in a dangerous environment that provides little security against sexual predators. Femicide, sexual abuse, paedophilia and incest are rampant and permeate every stratum of our social fabric. Though policy dialogue surrounding women’s rights and empowerment would like us to believe that there is political will to curb the disturbing statistics, the reality is that our national institutions have for too long been weakened by conscious bias that often seeks to attenuate the gravity of rape and abuse, by blaming the victims. This explains why a member of the police force involved in the case, chose to question why the victims were at the Community Centre Ground at night, instead of asking why it is that GDF ranks tasked with guaranteeing national security betrayed their very purpose to the nation.
Unfortunately, gender bias also blinds a wide cross section of our women, from the housewife to the Minister who called incest a “family affair”. It is why the mothers of alleged rapists would rather have their sons released into society to prey on other women, instead of subjecting them to the Law. It is also why the fight against Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) is increasingly met by the counterargument that men also, are abused. Yet, the ratio of men killed, raped or abused due to Intimate Partner Crimes (IPC) among others, would reveal to be quasi insignificant in Guyana in comparison to that of women. This attitude is how we maintain our children plugged into a system of gender bias and inequalities which glorifies the boy child at the detriment of his sister.
The Guyana police and defence forces as well as health and social protection services, are affected by inadequate operational and financial resources. However, the complaints of most victims of abuse hardly question the capacity of our services but rather, their biased approach to dealing with VAWG.
It is hoped that the dismissal of the alleged GDF rapists would set an example for their peers in the armed forces. However, newspapers will continue to run damp with the blood and tears of Guyanese women until gender inequality is considered a real hindrance to this country’s development and robust policies are enforced to bridge the gaps and initiate a positive mentality shift.
Yours faithfully,
Anna Correia de Sá