Dear Editor,
We have just concluded celebrations of Mother’s Day with all its glitter and glamour, we by extension salute all women for that matter and their wonderful contribution to the development of the human race. So, on this joyous occasion we salute our womenfolk. Now amidst all the celebrations there are mothers that are sorrowful, mourning the loss of a loved daughter, sister, mother, aunt or nenen, the list is long, all because some beast of a man has decided that he can abuse and even kill her. This is the backward behaviour blowing across this country and I must say, if drastic measures are not taken to arrest this attitude of some men to our women, sad would be our existence in this part of the globe. Measures have to be put in place right now to stem this pandemic. Many women have suffered at the hands of their spouses or boyfriends, men who believe that women are personal property for them to do as they please. In fact, personal property is treated with more care and respect, than some of the women in the lives of some of these men. What is distressing is the fact that these men believe that they have a right to, as they put it, “control” a woman and that control comes in the form of mental and physical abuse even death. This is the psychology behind the behaviour of some male folks in our midst. So, in his mind a woman can be cursed at, beaten, raped or murdered, all because he has to be gratified. This is the newfound obscenity that has taken over our country.
But while I lament this reality I am equally appalled at the punishment these men get. Very often we find men getting some innocuous sentencing for crimes committed against a woman. No wonder many are of the opinion that a man would get less time for the capital offence of murder, than for a few ounces of ganja, the telltale facts are there to prove my point. The empirical data is there to prove it that sentencing for crimes against women are woefully inadequate and sometimes way off target. And even if he gets “reasonable time,” after a few short years of incarceration he appeals and oftentimes reductions are applied. Thus he is free to roam among us. I believe this is the notion that has kept the statistics of female homicides constantly rising. In my book I believe that the punishment should fit the crime – end of discussion – right now that does not appear to be the case. No longer must we sigh and cry while our womenfolk are butchered at the hands of uncivilized men. Stiffer penalties must be administered to the criminal. As I write I must say that I am not in the least interested in the semantics or the politics of the day, I am concerned for the justness of the punishment or the fitting punishment to the crime. The point is, let the law be the conscience for those who do not have a conscience, get the misfits to come to terms with their actions. And the only option available to show them that way, is to have them being removed from society for a long time, a very long time, where he can rehabilitate himself. I rest my case.
Sincerely,
Neil Adams
