Over half of women here have endured intimate partner violence in their lifetime - survey

officers or other actors are thwarted in their attempts to intervene, demonstrating that there is no recourse for them and that they should remain hidden,” the report concluded.

Violence in pregnancy

According to the survey the majority of women (97%) participating in the survey have been pregnant at least once and nearly one in ten reported having experienced violence in pregnancy. Among women who experienced this violence the vast majority (92%) reported violence during their most recent pregnancy. The violence was perpetuated by the father of the child, with 30% targeting the pregnancy by punching or kicking her in the abdomen.

And for half of the women who experienced violence during pregnancy, the violence was a continuation of pre-pregnancy violence with a big majority (84%) reporting that the severity worsened.

Importantly the data collected indicate that there is no statistically significant difference in violence between ethnic groups and that Indo-Guyanese women reported the least physical and sexual IPV (34%).

“This directly contradicts the persistent belief in Guyana that women of Indian descent experience the highest rates of IPV. This belief was described in focus group discussions and supported by additional cultural beliefs that Indo-Guyanese men are more controlling and their wives more served and subservient than AfroGuyanese or indigenous wives,” the survey said.

It was found as well that 48% of women in the 55 to 64 group reported experiencing emotional violence, compared to 30 % in the 15 to 24 age group. Similarly, 39% of women aged 45 to 64 reported experiencing physical violence, while 27% of the youngest group, aged 15 to 24 reported similarly.