The murder of women

Aug 27, 2025 Editorial, News

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Kaieteur News – Yesterday’s chilling murder of a woman at the hands of her estrange husband, the maiming of their son and the ending of his own life evoked the usual outrage from citizens.

According to the police, the body of 36-year-old Teekadai Atiya Solomon bore some 10 gunshot wounds: two to her right-side abdomen; one to her right index finger; one to her left arm; two to her chest; two to her forehead; one to her right hip and one to her right leg. This type of shooting had only one aim – to end her life.

It goes without saying that domestic violence in Guyana has reached an alarming and heartbreaking level, with far too many women losing their lives at the hands of the very men who once vowed to love and protect them. Hardly a month passes without headlines of yet another woman brutally murdered by her partner.

These killings are not isolated “domestic disputes” they are the tragic outcomes of a deep-rooted culture of gender inequality, silence, and insufficient state response.

Behind every case is a story of warning signs ignored: threats dismissed as “relationship problems,” bruises hidden behind closed doors, pleas for protection that were inadequately addressed.

Too often, women remain trapped in cycles of abuse due to fear, economic dependence, or lack of confidence in the system.

The results are devastating, families destroyed, children orphaned, communities traumatised.

Guyana cannot afford to normalise these tragedies.

Domestic violence is not a private matter; it is a national crisis. Laws exist, but enforcement remains uneven. Shelters and support services are too few, underfunded, and difficult to access, especially in rural areas. Police and judicial systems must be more proactive, not waiting for violence to escalate to murder before intervening. Equally important is cultural change.

As a society, we must challenge the toxic notions of masculinity that fuel control and violence. Men must be engaged as allies in prevention, not just cast as perpetrators. Schools, religious institutions, and community leaders all have a role in shaping attitudes that reject abuse and promote respect, equality, and healthy relationships.

Friends, neighbours and communities must be educated about the red flags of domestic problems. When these flags appear, there should be a response. It is unfortunate when neighbours and friends wait too late before they intervene.

However, individual responses are never going to be good enough to make a difference. What is needed is a truly national effort to educate the Guyanese people about the dangers of domestic abuse. A simple quarrel can easily escalate into murder.

Thus, interventions need to be made, especially in troubled relationships. In this regard, we feel there is an important role for religious and community organisations. These organisations should be pro-active in seeking out troubled relationships since very often frustration builds up when there is no resort to someone to talk to or someone whose help can be sought to resolve a problem. Counseling is also needed.

There is an abject lack of these services in the communities in which they are most needed. While Guyana is yet to develop a strong culture of providing these services, the time is now propitious for every community to have at its disposal persons trained to provide counseling and support to families that are having difficulties in relationships.

Judging from the cases that have been making the news, many men who have failed to win back the affection of a loved one, have resorted to violence against those rejecting their advances.

This is yet another troubling social problem and again requires public education on how to deal with rejection and how to move on after a broken relationship. We believe that emotional problems, be they mental or matters of the heart, are legitimate matters of public health and as such, we urge the Ministry of Health to network with the many social, religious and community groups within our society to come up with a national campaign aimed at healing troubled relationships and rejection.

We urge public education on anger management and other related subjects which can help to reduce the high incidence of domestic violence in society. A great deal of progress has been made on the legislative front in dealing with domestic violence.

It is time for initiatives that address the problems arising in relationships. Every murdered woman is not just a victim of her partner, she is a victim of a society that did not act in time. Until Guyana collectively confronts this epidemic with urgency, commitment, and compassion, the cycle will continue. We must say, with one voice: no more silence, no more excuses, no more women dying at the hands of those that they trusted most.

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• Editorial, gunshot wounds, murder, Teekadai Atiya Solomon, Women

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