INSTEAD of enjoying her teenage years, a broken home threw a 13 year old prematurely into experiencing some rather unfortunate aspects of adult life.You’ve probably seen news stories and made-for-TV movies about date rape, domestic violence, teenage abuse stories and other abuse of women. Women and teens often dismiss these stories, thinking they don’t affect them. Guess what? Chances are you know someone who is a victim.
The now 20-year-old mother, Jane (not her real name) dropped out of secondary school, because her parents could not afford to continue sending her. The then teen, who formerly lived in Canal Number One, West Bank Demerara, decided to become engaged to a man who was 10 years older.
“My home was broken – my mom and dad got separated due to their issues – so I decided that I needed someone I could depend on and help my Mommy and myself,” she explained.
She said that she lived with this older man for eight months, whom she referred to as her “husband.” However, the relationship was an abusive one; her reputed husband constantly abused her.
She was also very disliked by the relatives of her “husband,” so much so that the constant negativity drove the man to take his own life later. She said the man’s relatives always spoke ill of her, saying that they did not approve of the relationship, as she was too young, lacked education and was from a poor family.
“I had to endure beating at the hands of someone older than me, but I stayed with him because I wanted a life,” she lamented.

From bad to worse
Nevertheless, things went from bad to worse after she decided that she would follow-up on her education and return to school. She recalls excitedly heading to Georgetown to purchase school items.
Unbeknown to her, her partner was slowly drinking himself into a drunken fit, spurred on by his family’s claims that she had not gone to purchase school items, but to meet another man instead.
“During that day, I silenced my cell phone and went about my search for my school clothes. When I get back into a bus after getting everything, I decided to look at my phone and saw 17 missed calls.
“I then saw him calling again and I decided to answer to explain that I was sorry I didn’t get to answer the phone,” she explained.
Knowing this would infuriate the man, relatives continued until she returned home. Upon opening the door she was greeted with a slap that sent her sprawling into a room.
It was the beginning of something she would never forget. After being brutalised by her reputed husband, she decided to remain in the room where she stared aimlessly at the walls.
Drinking himself further into a rage with his relatives fuelling his distrust, the man then went into the room, locked the door behind him and placed the key firmly in his pockets. Her husband who threatened to take his life several times before when they would argue, committed suicide that day.
He reached for the kerosene stove and poured the fuel into his mouth after which he asked for matches. Not taking him seriously, she ignored his tantrums and continued staring at the walls. He subsequently found a box of matches and lit himself afire.
“Before he lit himself alight, he said let me see how long this will light for, then the only thing I could have done when he lit himself was to grab a sheet and wrap him.
“That’s all I could have done; the door was locked and I could not have gotten any help, all I could have done was wrap him in a sheet to try and save him.”
The life she had with her reputed husband for eight months finally ended with him committing suicide. Relatives hurled accusations and theories wildly as she was taken into police custody and released after it was confirmed the man had committed suicide.
After being released from custody and despite wanting to attend the funeral, relatives did not allow this and her abuser was cremated, a process which she vividly remembers began in a locked room before her eyes.
A few months later, the then teen learnt that she was pregnant. She visited the Grove Health Centre, unsure of what to do. She looked around and took in everything around her but, before anyone could question her, the fear of not knowing what to say or what to do forced her to turn away.
The following day, she returned and sat quietly in a corner trying to muster some confidence. She was then approached by the centre’s personnel, who gently asked her why she was there.
The then fragile young lady broke down into tears and was led into a room where she eventually related her woes.
At the health centre, she was assisted by Dr Oneka Scott.
The doctor recalls: “By the fourth question – which was still general information – she breaks down, this very fragile female – yet a child in many ways – was abused and raped. Her mother had not the slightest notion about what was going on. But worst of all, this little fragile human being was ostracised by her older siblings who knew what was happening in the home. Her story broke our hearts, even more so when we realised she was pregnant.”
Support groups needed
According to Dr Scott, stories such as these are far too common and therefore support groups for teen mothers are needed in every health care centre in Guyana; and this might actually be a reality in the near future.
According to Shevon Lewis, Focal Point for Adolescent Health at the Ministry of Public Health, the ministry is looking towards organising a teenage pregnancy clinic and teenage pregnancy support group in each health centre.
“We know that many times when the teenagers go to the centres they are not treated with the most respect. Many of them are actually chastised and it’s not just by the persons who are at the centre, but also by other patients attending the clinic.”
She said that it was therefore thought best to separate the teen mothers from the general population. In these private areas, the expectant young mothers would be provided with counselling and advice on family planning.
She disclosed that a pilot programme was initiated in the Grove Health Centre last year and has been highly successful. She said that at this centre, not only was the teenage pregnancy clinic set up, but a support group was also created.
A United Nations report has spotlighted what it describes as the high rates of teenage pregnancies in the Caribbean and other developing countries.
The report has called on governments to help girls achieve their full potential through education and adequate health services.
“The State of World Population 2013,” produced by the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), notes that out of the 7.3 million births, 2 million are to girls who are 14 or younger, many of whom suffer “grave long-term health and social consequences from pregnancy”.
The report says that an estimated 70,000 adolescents in developing countries die each year from complications during pregnancy and childbirth.
“Too often, society blames only the girl for getting pregnant,” said UNFPA Executive Director Babatunde Osotimehin.

By Rabindra Rooplall