In Guyana, domestic violence is still a chronic problem that must be prevented and stopped in situations where it already exists. Often times you hear stories or read articles in the newspaper about women and children who are abused or murdered by their partners and/or their loved ones. However, these are not just sad stories you hear or headlines you read, but rather it is a chilling reality, and they could happen to you or your loved ones. Even worse, many cases go unreported.
In fact, recently, a woman was set on fire by the father of their child with whom she shared a home. Thankfully she survived but was left with severe burns that left her completely unrecognisable. During an interview, her mother revealed that the man had chopped her on her head two years prior. The battered woman had initially made a report but failed to follow up with it. She eventually reconciled with him and their four-year-old son until this most recent tragedy.
The Domestic Violence Act, Chapter 11:09
In response to the domestic violence problem in Guyana, Parliament enacted the Domestic Violence Act (‘the DV Act’) to “afford protection in cases involving domestic violence by the granting of a protection order, to provide the police with powers of arrest where a domestic violence offence occurs and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.”
Section 2 of the DV Act, the interpretation section, defines a domestic violence offence as “a prescribed offence committed by a person against a person with whom he is associated or a relevant child”. Section 2 further describes a prescribed offence to include murder or attempted murder; manslaughter; the use or threatened use of any other violence or physical or emotional injury; and a rape offence. According to the Sexual Offences Act, rape refers to the penetration of the vagina or anus using any body part or any object, including but not limited to a stick, bottle, or baton.
The DV Act makes reference to and describes certain behaviour which amounts to abuse. Firstly, there is harassment. To harass someone means to threaten or intimidate them by continuously verbally abusing, that is, “cussing up”, screaming or humiliating them; threatening them with physical harm or violence; causing damage to their property such as by breaking or damaging the person’s property; scaring the person by causing them to anticipate physical or emotional harm; stalking; hiding the person’s property; watching over their house, workplace, school or anywhere the person goes on a daily basis; making unwelcome advances; and using abusive language.
It is to be recognised that abuse is not only physical. Accordingly, the DV Act also describes psychological abuse. It refers to any repeated or continuous act or conduct which causes a person to suffer emotional harm by humiliating, dishonouring, or lowering that person’s self-esteem. Certain acts that may cause psychological abuse include blackmail; restricting that person’s access to their own things or property; constant watching over the person in a way that is
