Intimate partner abuse and family violence go largely unreported for a varying number of reasons.
A family violence prevention and intervention programme, which is wide-ranging, in both sociological and geographical contexts, should factor in the government’s national approach to curb, with a view to ultimately eradicating, this scourge that is hurting vulnerable and defenceless persons and children, families, communities, and the nation as a whole.

Such a programme needs to involve a holistic approach, where the church, the educational system, the social networking bodies – such as NGO’s, and with the various arms, especially the social, judicial, and legislative arms, of the government working in a concerted way to address the dynamics that catalyse and perpetuate instances of violence and abuse.

This is the only answer to addressing the psychosocial dynamics that have been escalating into an epidemic of murderous spousal battery and other forms of abuse and violence in the society.

The prevalence and parameters of these detrimental impediments to progress and wellness within societies have been debilitating national development the world over, because they have a direct correlation to the escalation of substance abuse within the contexts of families, communities, nations, and the world.

Our country has been rocked with rapidly successive assaults, many of them leading to murder, that owe its genesis to socio-economic factors that could have very well have been addressed in a timely way: that is, if the requisite institutions had been doing their jobs effectively and efficiently.

Statistics released by the police informed that 2,488 reports of domestic violence were made for this year, which resulted in 694 cases being made out and 530 persons being warned.

According to the release from the law-enforcement agency, it has put in place institutional structures/mechanisms at its Headquarters, Divisional, Sub-divisional, and Station levels to ensure appropriate responses to reports of domestic violence.

The Police release also stated that the GPF had established a Central Domestic Violence Unit at the CID Headquarters, with overall responsibility for monitoring the Domestic Violence Desks at its various locations.

Yet what about the human quotient?
The statistics that the police have revealed encapsulate a miniscule percentage of actual, because most cases of abuse and battery go unreported, mainly because victims are fearful of the attitude of the law enforcement officers, some of whom are themselves abusers, and some victims of abuse.

Most of the abusive situations that have ended in the death of one partner have been preceded by numerous complaints to the police, without effective action being taken, at least enough to avert the final tragedy.

Neighbours witness a continuum of abuse without interceding, even reporting it to the relevant authorities, only coming forward when it is too late.

The need for a restoration of the community spirit is vital, because it could save lives.

Guyanese seem to be losing their sense of humanity, and police ranks sometimes need to be reminded of the principles enshrined in the motto of the Force, which is “To protect and serve.”

Government can expand the development paradigm of the nation in economic terms, but unless the imperative social issues and ills are addressed to save the vulnerable and the defenceless, in a multi-pronged approach involving every section of society, we will be doomed as a nation.