Domestic Violence becoming a norm in Society

Sep 04, 2017 News

– Reverend Patricia

The Hands Down organization yesterday spearheaded a discussion on domestic violence at the Guyana Girl Guides Association Headquarters to make youths more aware of the problem and to empower those affected by it.
Participants ranged between ages 17 to 39.
The event was chaired by representative of Caribbean Youth Environment, Onika Stellingburg and was themed ‘Young Men & Women against domestic violence’.
Executive Director of Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association (GRPA), Reverend Patricia Sheerattan-Bisnauth, said during her opening remarks that Domestic Violence occurs when people use violent behaviour or language on partners, parents and children or neighbours.
These behaviours have become a norm and are almost legitimatized in all levels of society. It is an area which requires much work and has a lot to do with the background of an individual.
She added, “Domestic violence in Guyana is so prevalent that it is normalized in our culture”. This happens to be so since, “One is supposed to shut up and stay in a corner,” as it relates to the matter.
According to her, everyone has a part to play in eradicating domestic violence and should also explore new ways to do so.
The various types of violence have remained in society because it has been done unconsciously by parents and has been accepted.
“At Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association (GRPA) we keep talking about what seems to be the strategy. In this country at all levels, whether it’s Government or NGO (Non-Governmental Organizations), we spend millions on talking about what we should do, but when it comes to the action, solutions towards taking those steps, we don’t do enough to address domestic and sexual violence”.

Reverend Patricia
Sheerattan-Bisnauth

She said violence is perpetrated in environments where gender inequality is present and gave reference to the fact that in our culture today, “men are manly men only when they can have lots of women whilst on the other hand, girls should be raised in a situation where she is kept in the home largely and goes out with a lot of restrictions.”
Shoing the other side of the coin in domestic violence, Diego Alphonso, of the Ministry of Social Protection, clarified that even if a woman hits a man in the home; it can be clarified as domestic violence, but has remained behind the curtains, since men are ashamed to go out to police stations to make complaints of such nature.
“Listen to the reality of what is happening in Guyana right now. For the most part we understand domestic violence to be a male abusing a female, so whenever it is vice versa…” He informed that at some of these outposts, police ranks make fun of these complaints as well as complainants and state, “He deh pun stupidness,” Alphonso added this is an issue that has to be eradicated.
The information and feedback from the event will be useful in creating necessary programmes and project with the objective of eradicating domestic violence in Guyana.
The Hands Down Organization was launched on March 11 of this year. It was initiated with the objective of empowering those around the founder of the organization, Trishtana De Cunha, who is a young woman that is passionate about eliminating this type of violence across Guyana.

1 thoughts on “Domestic Violence becoming a norm in Society”

John Smith September 5, 2017 at 12:43 pm

Folks get your head of of the sand, when it comes to domestic violence Guyana is a leader, just read the news.

Comments are closed.

Latest News