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Domestic violence, sexual harassment in the workplace and representation
Dear Editor,
We are just seventeen days into the new year, and both news letter articles and letters within the letter column are clear indicators that our women are not safe.
The home which is supposed to be the safest space for the average woman has turned into a war zone: insecurities, unemployment, drug abuse to name a few have been some of the root causes of the woman being abused within her household.
At work, be it a professional setting or otherwise, supervisors, managers, overseers or the employer for reasons only they can answer, use the authority they possess to subdue and manipulate the woman – for those who don’t understand, the simple tugging, constant belittling or inappropriate touching is also classified as harassment and abuse.
The questions though that always baffle one are: why are people afraid to speak out and even if they do, why is representation and immediate interventions deserted?
After having a conversation with a woman’s right activist, just yesterday, I was left speechless: put simply, she implied that unless the organisation is contacted or a victim speaks out, there can be no pronouncement! This infuriated me. As a woman, the mere whisper of abuse is enough to launch an investigation be it a husband or relative or a manager, supervisor or “boss man” within the work environment.
I call her response ‘bull’, and would hereby like to advocate for other bodies, NGOs and groups to speak out. Additionally, a call to a social worker attached to the government said it’s difficult for persons who are abused to get representation when they refuse to openly bring their perpetrators to justice. Now how does an abused victim publicly stand up among strangers to talk about abuse. Who comes up with the ideas that confrontations at stations are the only way to bring relief, whatever happened to covert investigations?
Our society is too small to endure so much, our women have progressed from the traditional roles of homemakers and are now embarking on being leaders and household heads, the draconian ideologies that they are worthless or that their words have to be justified via confrontations on order for justice to prevail is wrong on so many levels.
Most women who are abused will never want to speak out openly because of their “Stockholm syndrome”, most won’t speak out because to discuss abuse especially if it’s sexual, will make them feel ashamed especially if it is to strangers or law enforcement who when taking a report offers no amount of privacy in a crowd-filled station.
Some families even force their abused family members to stay because of the societal stigma that would be attached when they leave. This in itself is painful. Guyana is moving forward in terms of technology and economic development, the echos of “One Guyana” fill the air. I think however we think of it as a country of diverse ethnicities uniting, I’d like to suggest that one includes women too – Make us feel included.
Men, stand up for us!
Madam First Lady, please intervene, many headlines have plagued the media with abuse and harassment of our women: our procreators, the backbone of our nation and the moulders and first teachers of our children. Please I ask of you to intervene, to the minister responsible for social protection, I know you’ve been doing your part to stamp out domestic violence among our population. However, please I ask you to extend it to the workplace, to every office, to every bar, to every factory to every institution. Please intervene.
And to the authorities that be, listen to your women, hear their cries, do not for the sake of saving face conceal and protect the monsters within your body, for the parents, the relatives, the friends do not be afraid to speak out against the abuse you see inflicted on your loved ones. Together, we can achieve greatness, oneness, together we can protect our women from the hands of abusers and predators: both at home and those who dress with suits and ties.
Yours respectfully,
A woman dying to see change
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