I am really enraged, and this rage is likely to last for quite a few days. This is because on two successive days I was confronted with the actual physical abuse of women. One incident took place in Annandale (this I was told about, right after it occurred), and the second one I saw with my own eyes, while traversing the East Bank Road, leading to Laparkan. Both incidents have underlying factors and both have (or should have) serious repercussions. First, I believe that this ‘taken for granted’ attitude must cease, and now too. This attitude provides the perfect framework for any man to beat any woman, so long as the two are involved in a ‘love relationship. For too many persons, this is considered normal, and thus accepted. I get ‘mad’ when I hear responses like:
“E shunt a beat she suh bad.”
“E could a wait till dem goh home.”
“But she an all-she nah know how de man stay.”
In others words, the culture permits men to BEAT women, under certain conditions, that is, men have this ‘inalienable right’ to physically thump a woman. They can BEAT, providing the beatings are commensurable with the ‘supposed crime,’ and are done in the privacy of the home. I mean how much more, in the abyss, can people sink? This is ‘degeneracy epitome.’ Regarding the second scene (Laparkan Street), when I pointed out what was happening, and aired my disgust, one male passenger actually opined, that “dem ting dah foh do a house.” Well Editor, I ‘flipped’ and decently but aggressively told him my position in this regard. For him, ‘women beating’ is not wrong; it has a locale though.
As regards the Annandale incident, I was informed that the victim is actually and noticeably pregnant. She took her ‘deserved’ and ‘expected’ slaps, because she was ‘rude’ to Mr. Man. Mr. Man did right too-the slaps were concomitant with the ‘rudeness’ and Mr. Man did the ‘slapping’ at home, and only mother-in-law was present. In fact, if the next door neighbour did not ‘peek’ I would not have known. Good work Mr. Man-you have ‘time and place.’
Now all of the foregoing furore that I am creating may just go to waste. This is because of a malaise that is affecting the average Guyanese. The thing that is really troublesome is that very few see this ‘affliction of the women’ by men, as outrageous and criminal. So when such cases become public, no one fusses, not even the next door, sympathizing and empathizing woman. WOW! What a sad state of affair! I do have a few suggestions though.
First, (and analogous to the Community Policing Groups), I suggest ‘Village Women Watchers.’ Such a support group will act as a buffer for any abused woman, and also liaise with the relevant authorities. I posit that these ‘women beaters’ are mere cowards. So setting a watch over them, and then passing them over to the law will bound to alter their attitude and curb their behaviour. It may be an uphill task, but remember, there must be a start. I am sure that Minister Priya Manickchand will be willing to lend a strong, direct and immediate voice in this area. Please ladies, do something now.
I close with a few comments regarding these ‘cowards’ and ‘bullies’ parading in ‘pants.’ First, I think that they do not know who is a ‘real man,’ and what makes a ‘real man.’ Also, just about all of them are ‘weaklings’ as these very abrasive males actually tremble at the presence of the police. I repeat: Please ladies, do something now.