Dear Editor,
The media has reported the murder of Bibi Naseefa Baksh. The reporting though, as with all other reports of men who are murdering women they are supposed to love, seems to leave the domestic violence resolution to the individual and family alone. Money has been spent on balloons and banners to show a zero tolerance for domestic violence and gender-based violence. There are reports of other activities by government agencies. How then do we connect these efforts of prevention with the suffering which was reported?
What other questions can journalists ask as they report the murders, and comments from family members? What prevents journalists from checking to see how far people can go for help? Who can children turn to in the community when they want to talk about the violence in their family? Do the police stations look like places to go and report domestic violence? Do the police do outreach to let citizens in the communities know they can report domestic violence? What prevents people from accessing support if they heard about it? Do the police know that the children who witness domestic violence experience trauma?
When the police record that children are witnesses to the violence, do they connect with the Childcare and Protection Agency or any other community group to get counselling for the children? What are the referral protocols which the Police use when they have to deal with domestic violence and other forms of gender-based violence? Is it still up to individual police to decide how they want to be helpful? The answers to these questions could probably help in transforming the social and cultural context which nurture domestic violence and other forms of gender-based violence in Guyana.
Sincerely,
Vidyaratha Kissoon
