Coil 10 : Electioneering Abuse of Abuse
Domestic violence and the 2015 Elections
By Vidyaratha Kissoon
The man, a senior manager in the macho Guysuco back in the days when sugar was on the rise, told me ‘You are doing good work. I respect all women and men should respect all women’ . I was younger then, having just started doing the public education work on domestic violence with Help & Shelter. Domestic violence was a woman thing and a couple of men at Guysuco frequently threw the ‘antiman’ thing at me. It was nice to hear the acknowledgement.
Two months or so later, I read a report in the newspaper that the man was being charged for assault on his wife. He had chased her around the estate compound and had to be restrained by security officers. He had a gun.
I keep this in mind when hearing people talk about domestic violence and gender based violence now. Domestic violence is one of the themes for the cuss out in the political culture of the day. The lesson learned from the man who thought respect also included abuse is that the words could come more easily than any commitment to change. One woman told me that my behaviour towards her was abusive. There are other persons who have imposed various restrictions in terms of how I deal with them. I obey all restrictions, stay far away as I could even if there are indications of restictions being lifted, and hope that no harm is ever done. My advocacy against domestic violence and other gender based violence could also be subject to the same scrutiny as any other person.
The PPP/C Prime Ministerial Candidate Elisabeth Harper has told her personal story about surviving domestic violence and intends to use that as her campaign platform. She has so far, not cussed up anyone in the APNU+AFC. Mr. Nagamootoo at the Whim Rally talked about ‘the Harper lady’ and questioned her integrity about being on the same platform as President Jagdeo whose former wife accused him of abuse.
In 1996, the Domestic Violence Act was passed. All of the persons working in the field know that domestic violence and other forms of gender-based violence cuts across all political and social groups and classes. Statistically, Mr Nagamootoo, Ms Harper or any of us are all likely to know people who have been abusive to members of their families or other persons.
According to a Demerara Waves report, Ms Harper chose not to respond to Mr Nagamootoo. She did well not to respond and to focus on her campaign. It makes a difference in the political culture. Ms Harper did not choose to cuss up Mr Nagamootoo about any of his colleagues and their cases pending in court .
It is a shame that Mr Nagamootoo, in trying to challenge Ms Harper, could not have offered his coalition’s plans to deal with Domestic violence , but rather use the issue to take another shot at his former Comrade. Mr Nagamootoo in his condemnation of domestic violence did not say much about how the APNU+AFC coalition will deal with domestic violence or any other form of gender based violence. His “No one ought to be a victim of violence” was careful, the third person voice – he did not try to whip up any cheers by saying instead “No one is to beat their wife, no one is to abuse anybody in their family.”
Minister Jennifer Webster called a press conference to invoke women’s rights to say that Mr Nagamootoo is “uncouth” because he challenged Ms Harper. She also talked about “forgiveness” for the man in her party who demonstrated contempt for women. If she believes that forgiveness means absolution from justice and accountability, then she should not be the Minister responsible for ensuring the state holds abusers and rapists accountable for their behaviour.
Minister Webster has been less effective than her predecessor in dealing with domestic violence and other forms of gender-based violence.
In 2008, a National Domestic Violence Policy was launched. The policy is quite comprehensive. The policy died soon after its launch. The current Minister of Human Services has done even less than her predecessor. There is no DV Policy Co-ordinating Unity within the Ministry. There are sporadic public pronouncements with little action. There is inadequate response from the State to reports of domestic violence, and to prevent domestic violence. The issue cannot be funding if the Marriott is going to be an example of progress and achievement.
In December 2014, a group of women wrote to condemn the excuse of limited funding to deal with sexual violence.
They presented a list of demands. On Wednesday 1 April, 2015 , a group of NGOs and citizens stood to protest the inconsistent police response when dealing with sexual violence.
Minister Webster did not bother with any of these demands during her press conference on Thursday even as she invoked the UN instruments which protect the rights of women to cuss up Mr Nagamootoo.
Ms Harper wants to help with the issue of domestic violence and perhaps other forms of gender based violence. She would have to be in charge of the Human Services portfolio if her party wins the elections. She, unlike the Minister who defended her, could register the concerns of the NGOs and citizens who have been protesting the Government’s failure to do its part in effectively dealing with domestic violence and other forms of gender based violence
Ms Harper is concerned about teenage pregnancy. This week I heard that at least one of her party’s supporters talked about the ‘sin of having children born out of wedlock’ . Ms Harper might want let her supporters know that stigmatising and shaming those who have children out of wedlock does not solve any problems. Women Across Differences has had to cut back on their programmes for teenage mothers due to lack of funding. Maybe Ms Harper could work with the outraged Minister Webster to mobilise some donations to keep the programmes going.
Sherlina Nageer wrote this in her blog “.. one of the staff members- one I don’t like because she’s always shouting harshly at the children- asks me when is the next APNU rally. I dunno why she’s asking me. I don’t know, I tell her. I wonder if the politicians tell people to stop hollering and beating children if she’ll stop…”
Instead of using gender based violence as part of the arsenal of political jabs, Mr Nagamootoo and his current and former comrades could be more sincere to the cause. In addition to “Vote for me/us”, and “they are evil, wicked corrupt people and we are saints” , they could also encourage their supporters not to beat or otherwise abuse their family members or anyone else.
By Vidyaratha Kissoon
The man, a senior manager in the macho Guysuco back in the days when sugar was on the rise, told me ‘You are doing good work. I respect all women and men should respect all women’ . I was younger then, having just started doing the public education work on domestic violence with Help & Shelter. Domestic violence was a woman thing and a couple of men at Guysuco frequently threw the ‘antiman’ thing at me. It was nice to hear the acknowledgement.
Two months or so later, I read a report in the newspaper that the man was being charged for assault on his wife. He had chased her around the estate compound and had to be restrained by security officers. He had a gun.
I keep this in mind when hearing people talk about domestic violence and gender based violence now. Domestic violence is one of the themes for the cuss out in the political culture of the day. The lesson learned from the man who thought respect also included abuse is that the words could come more easily than any commitment to change. One woman told me that my behaviour towards her was abusive. There are other persons who have imposed various restrictions in terms of how I deal with them. I obey all restrictions, stay far away as I could even if there are indications of restictions being lifted, and hope that no harm is ever done. My advocacy against domestic violence and other gender based violence could also be subject to the same scrutiny as any other person.
The PPP/C Prime Ministerial Candidate Elisabeth Harper has told her personal story about surviving domestic violence and intends to use that as her campaign platform. She has so far, not cussed up anyone in the APNU+AFC. Mr. Nagamootoo at the Whim Rally talked about ‘the Harper lady’ and questioned her integrity about being on the same platform as President Jagdeo whose former wife accused him of abuse.
In 1996, the Domestic Violence Act was passed. All of the persons working in the field know that domestic violence and other forms of gender-based violence cuts across all political and social groups and classes. Statistically, Mr Nagamootoo, Ms Harper or any of us are all likely to know people who have been abusive to members of their families or other persons.
According to a Demerara Waves report, Ms Harper chose not to respond to Mr Nagamootoo. She did well not to respond and to focus on her campaign. It makes a difference in the political culture. Ms Harper did not choose to cuss up Mr Nagamootoo about any of his colleagues and their cases pending in court .
It is a shame that Mr Nagamootoo, in trying to challenge Ms Harper, could not have offered his coalition’s plans to deal with Domestic violence , but rather use the issue to take another shot at his former Comrade. Mr Nagamootoo in his condemnation of domestic violence did not say much about how the APNU+AFC coalition will deal with domestic violence or any other form of gender based violence. His “No one ought to be a victim of violence” was careful, the third person voice – he did not try to whip up any cheers by saying instead “No one is to beat their wife, no one is to abuse anybody in their family.”
Minister Jennifer Webster called a press conference to invoke women’s rights to say that Mr Nagamootoo is “uncouth” because he challenged Ms Harper. She also talked about “forgiveness” for the man in her party who demonstrated contempt for women. If she believes that forgiveness means absolution from justice and accountability, then she should not be the Minister responsible for ensuring the state holds abusers and rapists accountable for their behaviour.
Minister Webster has been less effective than her predecessor in dealing with domestic violence and other forms of gender-based violence.
In 2008, a National Domestic Violence Policy was launched. The policy is quite comprehensive. The policy died soon after its launch. The current Minister of Human Services has done even less than her predecessor. There is no DV Policy Co-ordinating Unity within the Ministry. There are sporadic public pronouncements with little action. There is inadequate response from the State to reports of domestic violence, and to prevent domestic violence. The issue cannot be funding if the Marriott is going to be an example of progress and achievement.
In December 2014, a group of women wrote to condemn the excuse of limited funding to deal with sexual violence.
They presented a list of demands. On Wednesday 1 April, 2015 , a group of NGOs and citizens stood to protest the inconsistent police response when dealing with sexual violence.
Minister Webster did not bother with any of these demands during her press conference on Thursday even as she invoked the UN instruments which protect the rights of women to cuss up Mr Nagamootoo.
Ms Harper wants to help with the issue of domestic violence and perhaps other forms of gender based violence. She would have to be in charge of the Human Services portfolio if her party wins the elections. She, unlike the Minister who defended her, could register the concerns of the NGOs and citizens who have been protesting the Government’s failure to do its part in effectively dealing with domestic violence and other forms of gender based violence
Ms Harper is concerned about teenage pregnancy. This week I heard that at least one of her party’s supporters talked about the ‘sin of having children born out of wedlock’ . Ms Harper might want let her supporters know that stigmatising and shaming those who have children out of wedlock does not solve any problems. Women Across Differences has had to cut back on their programmes for teenage mothers due to lack of funding. Maybe Ms Harper could work with the outraged Minister Webster to mobilise some donations to keep the programmes going.
Sherlina Nageer wrote this in her blog “.. one of the staff members- one I don’t like because she’s always shouting harshly at the children- asks me when is the next APNU rally. I dunno why she’s asking me. I don’t know, I tell her. I wonder if the politicians tell people to stop hollering and beating children if she’ll stop…”
Instead of using gender based violence as part of the arsenal of political jabs, Mr Nagamootoo and his current and former comrades could be more sincere to the cause. In addition to “Vote for me/us”, and “they are evil, wicked corrupt people and we are saints” , they could also encourage their supporters not to beat or otherwise abuse their family members or anyone else.
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