Enforcing the new domestic violence legislation will require external support

Back in January 7, 2024, I read a joke in the press. It was that the “Guyanese Govt (is) to table (a) new legislation to deal with domestic violence.” I think this twoedged wise-crack will be with us in Guyana interminably and with increasing frequency. The article detailed that “The Guyanese Government says it will table a modern and holistic Family Violence Bill in Parliament this year that will ‘comprehensively’ address violence and will replace the ‘current’ Domestic Violence Act.” Like first off, my reaction is ‘wow.’ My mirth was obvious, as if the idea of the ‘current’ Domestic Violence Act (to be replaced) was ever a realisation.

Let me quickly illustrate. And this is not even the tip of the iceberg. Just peruse these leads, and then check on past incidents, and look out for future ones. “Woman stabbed 22 times by reputed husband” - 2023/04/27 - Kaieteur News; “Woman killed while fleeing abusive husband” - Mar 07, 2023 - Kaieteur News; “Woman stabbed to death in city hotel”November 14, 2023 - Guyana Times; “Man, 34, remanded for raping child” Feb

22, 2024 KNEWS; “Man, 21, granted bail for raping child under 16” - Feb 18 2024 - KNEWS; “Convicted rapist flees Mazaruni Prison” - Feb 16, 2024 KNEWS. Read on to get risibility at its highest.

The Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, in one section of the Bill’s content, verbosely explained that, “We need real protection to be provided to these women, we need them to understand what the law does for them, we need them to understand what a protection order is, and we need the perpetrators also to understand what it means to flunk the protection order.” Editor, I do not know what kind of world this minister is living in. The People’s Progressive Party/Civic never protected, and cannot now protect female victims of any sort of violence.

I mean, who will enforce any law where this matter is concerned? In Guyana, things such as traffic control, noise pollution/nuisance, littering, and a host of other anti-social and illegal acts are being endorsed by the venality of officials and a condoning public. In Guyana, to be charged by a police officer seems kind of silly to the perpetrator of any one of the things I mentioned. The ‘way out’ is well established to negate these ills committed by any citizen. It’s only the hapless and poor who are forced into legal compliance.

I ask that Dr. Vindhya Persaud revise how many times Minister of Public Works, Juan Edgehill, tried addressing ‘eradicating illegal vending.’ His method is to ‘speak in vain’ so as to keep himself in the news and thus his relevance, as the ‘nothing changes’ culture self-perpetuates, and the minister ‘don’t care a damn’ continues.

I do hope that we, someday, internalise that in Guyana, some 55 percent of women have reported having experienced at least one form of violence, including intimate partner violence and non-partner sexual abuse. Women will continue to live in fear and ‘keep their mouth shut.’ After all, the law is just in writing, and there is no ‘shelter of refuge’ that is truly functional. We need some external forces to help us!

So, Editor, if I were to have my way, I will inform the various embassies, particularly the US and Canada, about individuals charged and convicted with domestic crimes, and request that they revoke their applications for visas - tourist, student, work permit, and PR. Also, the authorities should exercise revocation ASAP, for those having possession of these visas already.

This idea hit home when I saw on Facebook, how a young lady from Lusignan was badly beaten by her lover, who is the actual husband of another woman living in another village close by. This woman-beater is being processed for the US and I bet his ‘bad-man’ ways will disappear if and when he gets to his intended dreamland. What is shocking is that the police at Vigilance are quite aware of this situation, but the culture of ‘passivity’ is upon the force.

I think women who have been victims of men-beating’ should advocate that visa revocation start as soon as possible. They should also commit themselves to inform, with evidence, the US and Canadian authorities, so that their plights can be addressed. Maybe Vindhya can lead in this way, as her Bill will prove vain.