Media operatives/sports personnel targeted to assist in raising awareness on domestic violence
October 5, 2008
Geetangeli Gheer, Head of the Domestic Violence Policy Unit targets hosts of entertainment themed shows and sports personnel in an effort to help spread awareness on domestic violence.
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Men Can Be Victims Too. Help End Domestic Violence.
October 2, 2008
Relationships with partners and families should be a source of mutual love and support. But for some people, these bonds can mean an endless cycle of fear and intimidation. When this happens, it’s called domestic violence, which, can happen to anyone, regardless of sex, race or status. It’s a pattern of behavior used by one person to establish power and control over another, and it can come in many forms [emotional, physical and sexual abuse].
-Emotional or psychological abuse- your partner, parent, adult child or loved one: insults and ridicule you, acts jealous and suspicious, threatens you, controls the finances, refusing to give you money or let you get a job.
-Physical abuse- your loved one: kick, hit, bite, slap, scratch, push or choke you; damage property when angry, threatens you with a weapon, drives recklessly to scare you, prevents you from leaving calling the police and seeking medical attention.
-Sexual abuse- your partner: views you as an object, insults you in sexual ways, held you down during sex, forced you to have sex, manipulated you into having sex, hurts or intimidates you with weapons or other objects during sex.
Men can be victims too. Women aren’t the only ones in abusive relationships. Men are also victimized by domestic violence. Infact, 16 percent of physical assaults against men are committed by an intimate partner. Men who are abused may: deny its happening, feel ashamed or guilty, think no one will believe it or that other people will ridicule them and tell themselves that they can handle it without help. Staying in an abusive relationship can have devastating consequences, including depression, substance abuse, loss of confidence and even suicide.
Deciding to leave can be difficult but always remember that resources are available to help you. Please make safety your top priority and tell someone what’s happening to you, ask for help, find out what laws apply, keep a journal of violent events, take pictures, go to a police, doctor or emergency room and report what happened to you, make financial plans, acquire a job and prepare a bag in advance to leave.
Guyana: A disheartened Nation
August 31, 2008
Every county has problems but many people in Guyana assert that all is in good health in Guyana and that the country is getting better day-by-day. Please do not believe all that you hear, come and experience it for yourself. I am twenty seven years old and I live in Upper Berbice and this is what we face everyday.
•Corrupt Government.
•Poverty.
•Increased crime rate.
•Inflation. However, there has been no increase in wages and salaries. (Remained 6 USD a day)
•Few or no employment opportunities.
•Parents cannot afford to send their children to school.
•Import/ Export – tax and duties are too high.
•Money donated to Guyana by other countries is unaccounted for- government officials steal a part of it for their personal gains.
•Deplorable infrastructures.
•Drugs, alcohol and illegal activities.
•The worst health care system ever; I should probably say NO Health Care especially for the poor.
•Increase in HIV/ Aids, prostitution, rape, teenage pregnancy, incest, suicide, domestic violence and road accidents.
•Too much beggars in the streets.
•Bribery- With money and power, one can commit any crime and they know that they will walk free. Policemen, lawyers, judges, Managers, government employees are all taking bribes. Its all about knowing someone who knows somebody that can help you- as long as you have money to pay the cost.
•Brain Drain- Everyone trying to escape the struggles and poverty in Guyana even if it meant illegal entry into another country.
•Wildlife decreasing.
•Stray animals on the road.
•Nothing has been done to improve tourism.
•Pollution. Garbage dumped everywhere.
•No ambulance and Incubators at Public Hospitals. Most people cannot afford Private Hospitals and their fees. Shortage of qualified doctors/ nurses. And also there are doctors/ nurses who steal medications and sell at their own Private Clinics.
•Education level is low and no longer recognized.
•Employees being laid off often.
•No drainage and irrigation. Farmers have to suffer the consequences with their crops.
•Poor living conditions.
Sara Romoutar
My Sincere opinion on domestic violence in the West Indian Community
July 15, 2008
Well, if you read my intro on domestic violence, this is my sincere opinion and thoughts on the issue at hand. I honestly feel that people who enact in domestic violence should be criminally punished. It’s hard to prove emotional, verbal and mental abuse but when so many young people are hanging themselves over the distraught their parents have bestowed on them, shouldn’t these people see what they are doing? I mean seriously, how many of you have parents that TELL you what to do rather than ask? If you didn’t hear the first time, you either got yelled at more or hit immensely because you didn’t do what you were told. Here I thought I was a human being not one of Pavlov’s dogs. Read more
West Indians and domestic Violence
July 15, 2008
In the West Indian culture, being a young female, it seems as if domestic violence is a normal behavior. People are not aroused when hearing about a victim and victims are also very secretive about their usually ongoing and increasing abuse. Domestic violence is not limited to men battering their wives but also wives battering their husbands, parents abusing their children and other people in their households. A behavioral psychologist would say enacting in domestic violence is a learned behavior and is reinforced by the person’s environment. For example: a boy hits a girl and the boy is praised by his peers. Studies have shown that males are reinforced by physical aggressive behaviors by getting attention and other males stating “that’s how boys play”. Also, females are reinforced aggressively but their outlet is more verbal and emotional by “not wanting to be friends with other girls” and etc. I’m not stating this is the case for everyone, just a generalized statement using psychological journals and observations. Read more
Domestic Violence and the detrimental impact on Women
May 16, 2008
Domestic violence leads to the destruction of marriages, homes, families and the lives of children and ultimately the suppression of culture. Such occurrences have transformed many good countries into urban disaster that leads to the sufferings from uncontrolled prostitution, child abuse, illegitimacy, physical abuse, sexual abuse and sexual predation.
Long-term effects of domestic violence on women who have been abused may include: eating disorders, drug and alcohol consumption, malnutrition, poverty, panic attacks, repeated self injury, sexual dysfunction, sleep disorders, strained family relationships, suicide attempts and the inability to respond to the needs of their children. When children cannot depend on their parents for emotional/ practical support, their development can be delayed or permanently distorted. Children without available parent may withdraw from relationships and social activities. Read more
Caribbean Nations need to deal with Poverty Eradication as their “top priority” in supporting the laws against Domestic Violence
April 12, 2008
Domestic violence may include men, women, and children and usually involves a detrimental situation or circumstances at home; however, women and children are most often the victims of domestic violence. Domestic violence is universal; it does not discriminate with age, color, social standing, size, educational level and so on.
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