…or women will continue to be abused
ABUSE of women has assumed pandemic proportions in Guyana; but the

Government has driven and instituted many laws and amendments to extant laws that address many of the issues.Yet every day there are stories arresting the attention of the populace where the abuse continues unabated, even to the point of murder.
What is distressing, however, is the callous attitude adopted by the guardians of the law toward women who have suffered at the hands of their spouses in a multiplicity of ways, and one calls to mind a letter in the media relating where one person, on personal business at a police station, witnessed first-hand the dismissive way a police rank treated a woman who had gone to make a report about being abused.
Many times, even when victims have garnered courage to take the perpetrator to court, they cannot receive justice, either because the abuser has powerful connections, or else enough money to purchase the justice system.
The following was posted on a social site: “Madodrie Beharry

I don’t know if my situation has far past the time to seek public help, as it has already gone in the legal hands, but I am still looking forward for any kind of advice at this point. No matter how much I try to think positive, I still live in constant fear. I was married according to Hindu rites (not legally) to my husband of 18 years; but three years ago, I walked out of the marriage. We have three children together, two of which are adults and the last boy is now 16 years old. My ‘ex-husband’ still operates a ‘rum shop’ at No. 60 Village, Corentyne, where we spent all the years of ‘marriage’. I can never relate all the many forms of abuse I suffered at the hands of this man. To relate a few – (1) Physical beating is a norm which leaves me black and blue – too many times to count. (2) Daily insults that I come from nowhere – my parents from Black Bush and they are nothing, my sisters are wh……. (3) Since my marriage all shopping for the home and moreso for myself and children during my pregnancy, and even with babies, he does all purchasing, because, according to him, I am not smart enough and he can’t trust me with his money. Imagine he sends his sister to buy me pregnant dresses and all baby stuff. (4) There were many incidents which are too numerous to mention which took place because his parents, and brother and family lived next door, which further added to my misery as his mother was a regular visitor to our home. I need not explain the rest. It was as if I were serving a jail sentence. (5) This is what really topped it off, when my father was critical and subsequently died. I am the eldest; my parents lived three villages away and I couldn’t go to visit my ailing father and render support. On the day he died, my husband objected to me going to support my grieving mother. Of course this was too much as I went without his permission. He sent ‘spies’ to see if it was true that my father died. He didn’t attend the funeral, neither did he send any of my children to their grandfather’s funeral. With the many upheavals, fights, police reports, I ended up in court one time. I eventually made a bold decision and left him and went to live with my mother. For three years I am still trying to accept my fate, I took nothing with me so I am literally existing through my mother for these past three years. My children used to talk to me if I called or saw them anywhere, but recently if they told him that I spoke to them, he would call me and verbally abuse me; if my mother answered the phone she got it too. Few weeks ago, to my great shock, he summoned me to court to finance the upkeep of my children. The magistrate gave me two weeks to find a job and go back to court. I tried looking for employment, have good promises but will have to wait for a while. By the way, I didn’t finish school when I got married, so it’s no easy job to find a job. I do see the need to work so I am looking forward for the time when I will be earning my own money. I don’t know legally where I stand in a case like this. This man doesn’t want my children to have any communication with me. He states that he doesn’t ever want me back, but he went to this domestic violence place at Skeldon, where he was advised to seek legal action for child support. I am the one being abused by this man my whole 18 years. I have nothing to show, save and except a few pieces of clothes which my sister would send now and again. I spent near three years trying to recover from the trauma of my life with him and only recently when I started visiting one of my ex-teachers who operates a small boutique in Skeldon, that I started to feel a bit better and feel like picking up back my life and leaving the past. He saw me there when he passed, and once he came and abused me in front of the business place. The saddest part is, this man projects a very decent outgoing personality to the public. Nobody who knows him – by the way he is a very popular character in many reputable places – would believe that this man behaves like this to his wife. By the way, he is also a very dedicated father, and has always been dedicated to our children. It would be beyond anyone’s imagination because he speaks well, makes speeches at public places, he is in many organizations, etc. This man has left me with the scar of abuse which can never be removed. I have evidence of the abuse I suffered at the hands of this man. Now that I am finally pulling myself together, he steps in and takes me to court for child support. I am asking you folks to advise me on this matter on what steps I can take in a case like this. I do know that if I can afford to, I would be happy to assist with my children, but right now, I am in no position to do so. What can I do? I have to go back to court in one week. The very place that runs the domestic violence place which I should be seeking help from, this said place has advised this abuser to take me to court for child support. By the way, the property which houses the domestic violence place is owned by the magistrate who is presiding over this matter and if I am not mistaken, he is also a part of this domestic violence programme.
This newspaper is not endorsing the post; but surely such accusations deserve investigating from the authorities?
How could a woman, deprived of all her rights, be further deprived of her children? Why does a woman, who slaved for almost two decades without any rights, joys, or material benefits to enable a man to accrue wealth, be deprived of her right, according to recently-passed legislation, to equal parts of the conjugal property?
And why does a magistrate uphold the abuser’s suit and further heap injustice on the woman?
If there is merit to the foregoing accusations, then surely the authorities need to investigate this case and accord justice, and if the magistrate has shown partiality and been unjust in her ruling, then surely shouldn’t she/he be exposed and/or sanctioned?
There is a multiplicity of stories like these and legislations on paper mean nothing without enforcement of enacted laws; and until and unless urgent and immediate steps are taken to give these victims a real voice, with the power of the law behind them, the paper on which the laws are written may just as well remain blank.