Former Village Councillor/ Secretary - OSVC

Former Village Councillor/ Secretary – OSVC

Mar 02, 2021 Letters

A serial sexual predator in the midst

Dear Editor,

Reference is made to the article captioned, “‘Spanish’ woman raped, sodomized, battered as neighbour rushed to get help” (KN March 1). I read most of the story, and it was horrifying; an enraging one, too.

The contents startled then sickened. A man preying upon sex workers; this choice of trade means nothing. It is of a mother, who speaks limited English, compelled to work the streets and ply her wares. It is always a high-risk profession, but in no way justifies what followed in the sheer brutality of the lengthy physical and sexual battering. I think that some severe psychological damage has been inflicted on this unfortunate woman. Her business does not matter, since it is hustling an honest living and one which I am prepared to support as a better option that robbing and violating people; that does not begin to describe the harrowing nature of this woman’s ordeal.

It is terribly disturbing that the man who committed this dastardly deed – many of them – was arrogant enough to reveal that he has done similarly to a couple dozen women before. There is disbelief that this could have been under the radar for so long, while making allowance for masculine exaggerations. Even accounting for that, something tells me that this predator is a serial one that poses great danger to the red-light district in general and foreign-born street operators specifically. I do not believe that this severely bruised and battered woman is his first victim. And unless caught early, and put away forever, it could be said with confidence that she will not be his last. That she is foreign (‘Spanish’) should not matter in the least; whether she is here legally or illegally also should not have any relevance; and the fact that she was engaged in work that make so-called respectable people look down their noses, and utter clucking sounds of disapproval must not have any place in this beastly incident. Think about this: when he can’t attack foreign looking ladies of the evening, then it is not a stretch to believe that Guyanese women involved in such work could be the next ones targeted.

As if all of the above was not troubling enough, the KN article also pointed out that the police officers that turned up by accident, scornfully hurled her clothes (‘Cops pelt her clothes on her’) at this bleeding, obviously badly beaten, wounded and traumatized woman. At the moment when she needed an urgent helping hand, she got another sharp psychological stripping and degrading. Having just been brutalized beyond belief by a sick stranger, she is then insulted and humiliated by those, who had to have seen that they had a crisis case on their hands. For the man to be placed in handcuffs, and then quickly released, does not accrue to a positive image for the Guyana Police Force. The only development that would offer some satisfaction is to learn that this stalker and attacker is brought to justice swiftly.

Sincerely,
GHK Lall