SOME women eventually meet their deaths simply because they choose to remain in severely abusive relationships. Because they are unable to get out, or just refuse to gather the strength to look for better, they remain where they are until disaster strikes. And there are some women who remain under the delusion that they are in love, even though they are continuously being battered by their spouses.

Whatever the reasons, I am of the view that these women are the victims of great danger, and should be quickly assisted by the relevant authorities to be rid of their plight before it is too late.

Twenty-seven-year-old Melissa Singh of Turkeyen, Georgetown is one such woman. She told her story to this newspaper on Friday, even as she gulped down glasses of Ivanoff vodka to ease her pain and distress.

She revealed that she was two months pregnant, and when advised against consuming alcohol, she retorted, “It’s the only thing that can ease all this stress.”

Melissa has endured three years of relentless verbal and physical abuse at the hands of her boyfriend, with whom she shares a ‘visiting relationship’. We bumped into her while our reporter enjoyed lunch with friends; and Melissa, seeking refuge from her controlling boyfriend, had decided to hide in the home, since she had befriended there a young man who would “offer her good advice”, as she puts it over.

On realizing there was a journalist in the home, she examined the official media pass before freely giving her story.
With tears in her eyes, the young woman told a rather disturbing story amidst gulps of strong vodka.

According to Melissa, she began a relationship with her boyfriend, Donald Dainty (not the real name) of Riverview, Ruimveldt, Georgetown, some three years ago, while she was living with her father in Turkeyen, ECD. She said that, for the first few months, “all was bright and beautiful”, before she really began to see the horrid side of the young man.
She said it took her little time to realize that he was an alcoholic, and he would argue and beat her every time he consumed the liquid, which, for some strange reason, seemed to fuel his anger and fury.

The woman related that her boyfriend drinks at least five days per week, and would torment her each time he does so. She said the arguments would stem from refusal to give sexual favours, or for no particular reason at all.

She added that each time the quarrels begins it would end with her boyfriend ‘beating her up’, and most times forcing himself on her sexually.

Melissa said that after a few months into the relationship, the man stopped her from talking with males, and would throw alarming tantrums if he noticed her in the company of any male.

Christmas for Melissa, like all the other years since she is in this relationship, is a dismal pastime for the young woman. Presently she is staying at her boyfriend’s home with his relatives, where she indicated the treatment from family members is also unbearable.

Just a few days ago, as indicated, her boyfriend forced her to move into his relative’s home. She said that “under the pretext of borrowing”, he had taken $59,000 from her, which he used to “stock his family’s refrigerator with Christmas goodies”.

According to Melissa, she had stored up lots of funds she had garnered from another relationship with a relatively rich elderly man. She said her boyfriend would normally take large sums of money from her, promise to repay them, but never does.

She said her boyfriend forced her to leave the man, who would normally give her $150,000 every month while the two shared that relationship. She now bemoans the fact that her boyfriend has also now forced her to leave her father’s home, and relates that, over the Christmas season, she has been lying to her relatives about her whereabouts, telling them she was visiting friends in Bartica.

It was expected that Melissa remain in the home of her ageing father to take care of him, as dictated by her relatives.

Melissa continues to ‘drink her life away’, in hope that the alcohol consumption can solve her problems. “I am two months pregnant for Donald, and I know I should not drink, but it is the only way I can ease my stress a bit. I fear to wake up each morning because of the hangover, and my situation which comes ‘blam’ in my face again.”

This supposed boyfriend, as she related, has not given Melissa a dime in the three years they have been together; and even the young lady seemed unable to fathom why she has still remained with him. She related that every time she attempts to leave him, he would send endearing messages to her cellular phone, and shower her with kisses and hugs, which somehow weakens her and causes her to change her mind.

Tormentor strikes again

Last Saturday, her tormentor struck again; and during an argument, struck her with a ‘spatula’ (used for turning pancakes) across the face. That must have been a horrible blow, since it left her right eye swollen and blue; gashed her upper lip, and broke a front tooth in the process.

Melissa claims she is ready to leave the man, but is waiting for him to gather finances to fix the tooth……Quite amusing if not amazing.

This matter was reported to the Riverview/Ruimveldt Police Station, but when an officer arrived to apprehend the boyfriend, he reportedly locked himself in the home of his relatives and refused to come out.

According to the young woman, her boyfriend’s relatives constantly encourage him to treat her abusively, since they can get access to her finances through him. She is hoping that her relatives would come and take her back to her father, since the boyfriend keeps her at his relatives against her will.