It is with absolute horror and disgust that I read on ‘Demerara Waves’ today (yesterday) about the Essequibo father that was sexually abusing his teenage daughters, and that the mother knew about it for the past three years and did nothing about it!

When parents bring children into this world, it is their duty to care for them and prepare them to fulfil their roles in society as decent and productive citizens.

For any man to sexually abuse his own daughters or any of his relatives or friends’ daughters, or sons for that matter, has nothing to do with being poor, or depressed or frustrated because of being out of a job.

It has to do with what is good and evil within that man and, for this, the full weight of the law should be applied to him.

As a woman and, most of all, a mother, I am calling on all our women across Guyana to be stronger and stand up and protect our children against these brutal and shameful attacks.

These girls will be left with permanent emotional and mental scars that no amount of counselling can fully erase and mothers who encourage such wickedness against their own children are no better than the men who commit such atrocious acts.

It is time for mothers and, women on the whole, to stop being victims in situations like these and start taking responsibility for their actions or non-actions.

Women are not weak human beings and unless they suffer from a mental disability, they all know right from wrong.

I am pleading with my fellow women who find themselves in sickening situations like these, to put a stop to this immediately; go to the nearest police station and report it. You must protect your children at all costs. It is your duty.