FEMICIDE and domestic violence in Guyana continue to be a grave concern, with several tragic cases making headlines and among them acid attacks have again emerged as a particularly horrifying form of violence against women.

On September 3, two women were doused with acid, a crime meant to mutilate, humiliate and terrorise.

These attacks stand alongside a broader spectrum of abuse, incest, rape, child molestation and physical assault, which this year has already claimed the lives of more than 15 women.

Despite the Family Violence Act 2024, expanding legal protections to include psychological and economic abuse, the system continues to betray survivors.

Delay in justice and communities still treat violence as a private matter instead of a crime.

The murder of Kenesha Vaughn, whose case has dragged on in the courts without resolution, shows how justice denied deepens the wound for families and emboldens perpetrators.

Our women and girls, as around the world, are under siege.

They are brutalised in their homes by men they should trust. They are assaulted in their communities by predators who get off at times with just a pat on the shoulder and they are abandoned when judges and magistrates impose “soft” sentences and neighbours remain silent.

That silence is complicated. Let us be clear, these perpetrators are murderers.

They destroy futures, mutilate bodies and extinguish trust. They rob society of what is most precious, the innocence of children, the dignity of women and the right to live without fear.

And when society fails to protect, when communities look away, we become accomplices to these heinous crimes.

Government leaders, including President, Dr Irfaan Ali and Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, have pledged stricter bail conditions and stronger support services.

But the solutions and responses shouldn’t come from the government alone. All sections of society need to play an active role in eliminating the scourge.

We all have a role to play.

Families must stop shielding abusers in the name of “family honour.” Communities must report and confront abuse.

NGOs, churches, schools, health professionals, unions, and the private sector must step up, not with token campaigns, but with real involvement in national consultations and programmes that protect women.

We cannot keep waiting until another woman is disfigured, raped, or killed to sound the alarm.

These are not the olden days when silence and shame kept victims hidden. Guyana is changing, and if we commit collectively, government, civil society, and citizens alike, we will get it right. But only if we act now, before another life is lost.

Violence against women and girls is not inevitable. It is preventable, but only if society stops excusing it, starts confronting it, and finally chooses to protect the vulnerable instead of the predators.

We will get it right!