Latest update November 29th, 2024 1:00 AM
Culture change to help ranks deal with male victims of domestic violence – Crime Chief
From time immemorial women have been the victims of various forms of violence from their intimate partners. According to the World Health Organisation [WHO], 30 percent of women who have been in relationships have experienced physical and/or sexual violence by their intimate partner.
WHO has documented that the prevalence estimates of intimate partner violence range from 23.2 percent in high income countries and 24.6 percent in the WHO Western Pacific region to 37 percent in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean region and 37.7 percent in the WHO South-East Asia region.
It has been revealed by WHO, too, that globally as many as 38 percent of all murders of women are committed by intimate partners.
Crime Chief, Paul Williams
In addition to intimate partner violence, globally a mere seven percent of women report having been sexually assaulted by someone other than a partner, although data for non-partner sexual violence are more limited.
Further it has been globally accepted that intimate partner and sexual violence are mostly perpetrated by men against women.
But there are quite a few instances that such violent cases see women as the perpetrators.
However, many men who find themselves victims of sexual as well as domestic violence are often not afforded the same care and attention as women do from law enforcement personnel. Such cases have been known to occur right here in Guyana but is a state of affairs that is not unique to this part of the world.
Based on reports, oftentimes men are ridiculed when they seek the assistance when they are abused.
The fact that men are faced with this dilemma was recently presented to local Crime Chief, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mr. Paul Williams.
Commenting on this state of affairs, Williams said that in dealing with such matters, ranks of the police force are expected to depend heavily on the training they receive. Such training, he explained, is always ongoing too. He revealed that training is not done in isolation but rather through partnership with relevant agencies.
But although he expects that training will help to realise the desired goal [adequate service to those in need], he noted that it is expected that ranks be impartial when dealing with cases regardless of whom the victim is.
Men, in the same way as women, Williams insisted, should not be belittled when filing their complaints.
Williams said, “If there are instances or cases of that nature the police need to be serious…” Moreover, he said that “what is important at this juncture for the Police Force is that we need to embark on a culture change.”
This is in light of his belief that the members of the Force have grown accustomed to “what has happened over a period of time. They would see that more women come in and report domestic violence matter. But seeing a man coming now, some of them still don’t truly understand that there is a change in the demographics, or in terms of how domestic violence is being seen.
“So we need to get them to embark on a culture change that there is equality and everybody must be treated the same way.”
Williams insisted that ranks of the Force are mandated to accept change and therefore, “whether a man comes or a woman, you ought to take it seriously.”
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
Fastest growing economy and an empty stadium
…Peeping Tom Kaieteur News- It’s a classic Guyanese tale, really. You live in the fastest growing economy in the... more
Rising Gun Crimes in the Caribbean: Urgent Action required by all
By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News – There is an alarming surge in gun-related violence, particularly among younger... more
Weekend Cartoon
