Recently, a 37-year-old Sophia woman died as a result of stab injuries in one of the latest attacks in the ongoing domestic violence scourge that plagues the Guyanese society. Shanta Devi Chanderpaul was stabbed in the region of the right breast and abdomen on October 22, shortly after disembarking from a bus near her home in ‘C’ Field Sophia, Greater Georgetown.
The mother of seven children was also slashed to the face, while her attacker fled the scene. She subsequently died, last Thursday, at the Georgetown Public Hospital and was laid to rest on Tuesday of this week.
It should be noted that the suspect is also a resident of Sophia with whom Chanderpaul started a ‘relationship’ about two years ago. He is reported to have lived a short distance from where Chanderpaul and her family (husband and children) resided.
It means that she has become another statistic and victim, to an unending and uncontrolled brutality that threatens the very existence of the Guyanese women-folk.
If one were to accept the credibility of media reports that detailed this woman’s daily life for a while, before she was cruelly murdered, one will easily conclude that she was mercilessly bullied by her assailant, fearing his high levels of cruel attacks, back into being his companion; that he virtually held the power of life and death over her, based on the fact that before she began her daily journey home from work, she called so as to gauge his mood and response.
Even her children and their father, suffered attacks at the hands of this man, albeit in the immediate vicinity of their home.
Given the scenario briefly outlined above, it becomes appropriate to critically examine the police and their response to this latest case of domestic violence.
Based on accounts by the deceased children’s father, it is said that several reports were made to the relevant authorities that resulted once in a charge where bail had been granted and another instance where the now at-large and highly dangerous assailant was placed on a bond. There was another, where he alleged that in one of the attacks, rather than give a statement to the police, that would have supported a report of an attack, his now deceased companion opted not to, but instead accused her son who had come to her rescue, as the aggressor. This would seem to be a case of fear, rather than reality, on the part of the deceased.
Notwithstanding the latter instance, the victim’s companion has been extremely critical and bitter of police inaction with regard to the apprehension of the assailant despite the many reports that were made, even citing a given response of ‘unavailability of transportation’, a familiar complaint.
It is not the first time that such complaints have been made against those responsible for upholding and enforcing the law, in cases where a woman suffers finally the ultimate – death. It is a commonality, and ought to have ceased, particularly since the general Police Force would have been privy to numerous seminars, awareness programmes, and specialised training in matters pertaining to domestic violence.
There is even a domestic violence register, opened at every community station, so there can be no excuse by any station and their officers as to ignorance at least on the basic factors surrounding this murderous and bestial behaviour.
Again, it must be emphasised, that treating reports of domestic violence lightly, has proven to be tragic for the victim in most cases. Every investigating officer, answering such complaints, ought to be able to discern the creeping danger to the complainant, and take decisive action, regardless of pleas of giving the alleged attacker – a warning. It is the immediate welfare of the complainant that must be pivotal. She must be safe-guarded. Statistics are there, and they inform – tragedy, always! When will decisiveness replace the still cavalier interpretation by some station-based ranks that domestic violence reports are ‘light matters’, or even ‘private’, a perception that from all appearances still exist? It is shocking that such gross insensitivity should still be an understanding of some ranks.
Of course, there is an increase in the number of abusers being charged and placed before the Courts. There are even more convictions with custodial terms meted out to these monsters! It is evident, therefore, that there is greater awareness on the part of the law, as to what is required. But unfortunately, the same urgency seemed not to have been applied to the hapless Sophia victim. With such a reported history of the attacker, why was he not prosecuted condignly before the Courts, rather than set free on bail? Why a bond placement for one with such a pre-disposition to extreme violence? One stands to be corrected, by positing that there is no reasonable court that would have failed to apply a lengthy jail term, had this assailant appeared before it on properly laid charges.
Cases of this nature ought not to occur again! The Police must act sensibly and decisively! Too many of our women are being butchered!