In recognition of the need for persons to stay at home to reduce the spread of the coronavirus, the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) has collaborated with the Help and Shelter organization to provide a toll-free hotline number to assist victims of domestic violence and abuse.
Persons are encouraged to call 0910 if they are victims, or know victims of domestic violence, child abuse, sexual violence and human trafficking cases, GTT said in a release.
The Help and Shelter, a local charity that assists victims of domestic violence and abuse, has stated that amid the need for persons to stay at home to reduce the spread of the coronavirus, it is anticipating an increase in domestic violence calls.
“We are all in this together and GTT is happy to support the Help and Shelter Organisation in its effort to confidentially assist those who are most vulnerable, especially during this pandemic,” said Jasmin Harris, GTT’s Public Relations Manager, in the release.
Representative of the Help and Shelter Organisation, Danuta Radzik, expressed her gratitude for GTT’s assistance. “We at Help and Shelter are pleased to have this toll free service from GTT. Sometimes persons are unable to call the Hotline number because of lack of credit on their phone; this is a real impediment. This initiative will assist persons to get the help they need and it is a great boost for us to assist the abused in Guyana. This partnership and support is truly welcome,” Radzik said.
It was pointed out that mounting data suggests that domestic abuse is acting like an opportunistic infection, “flourishing” in the conditions created by the pandemic. The United Nations on Sunday called for urgent action to combat the worldwide surge in such violence.
