In the wake of the rising domestic abuse and violence against women, Hymawattie Lagan, Administrator of the Women’s Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security, yesterday appealed to women to report all cases of abuse to the police or the ministry.
She urged women to take action and do not stay in an abusive and violent relationship, citing the tragic ways in which such relationships end.

For this year so far, 11 women were brutally murdered by their spouses and lovers.

The most recent case is the murder of a mother of three, Bridgette Gangadin, 30, of 3 ‘E’ Lusignan Public Road, East Coast Demerara, who died early Sunday morning.
She endured many years of abuse from her husband, who is in police custody.
Speaking generally, Ms. Lagan said that every woman deserves to feel safe and valuable in any relationship, and she should not be treated like a “punching bag”.
She explained that violence usually begins with a slap, and she urged women and young girls, as soon as it happens, to report it to the police and let the law takes its course.
Ms. Lagan pointed out that many women are afraid to admit they are in an abusive and violent relationship.
She added that abuse is not normal and called on women to walk away from such relationships s the end is often murder.
The women’s advocate told the Guyana Chronicle that domestic violence is used for one purpose only, and that is to gain and maintain control over a woman. Ms. Lagan added that intimidation is also used to keep women under control in relationships; and most often the woman is afraid to act or speak out against the abuser.
She explained that the Ministry has established a Domestic Violence Police Unit which focuses on thematic areas to curb violence – transformation of attitudes that condone violence such as gender stereo-typing and discrimination.
Ms. Lagan said the purpose is to inform and guide government’s future intervention in the Act and programme towards prevention of domestic violence and provision of services to victims/survivors.
She noted that the government recognizes there must be a multi-sectional response to domestic violence that works, inter-alia, with community-based interventions and is committed to acquiring and providing responses necessary to ensure effective implementation of policy.
Ms. Lagan that in most cases where there is spousal abuse and violence, and sometimes the man kills the woman in a fit of rage, the children are the ones who suffer and become the responsibility of the ministry. They are left to fend for themselves or moved from one place to the next.
She however lauded the efforts of women who walk away from violent and abusive relationships and have since moved on, having reported the incident to the police or the ministry and other such agencies that provide services to abused women.
Giving statistics, Ms. Lagan revealed that 18 women were murdered in 2009 by their spouses; and for sexual abuse, from January to April, 2009, there were three reported cases and from July to December, 2009 four cases were cited.