Domestic violence widely accepted in local communities – UNICEF

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has stated that the highest level of acceptance of wife beating occurs in Indigenous communities, with one in every four adults believing that it is justifiable to hit women.

The UNICEF report stated that there was a high incidence of domestic violence in Regions Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo); One (Barima-Waini); Five (Mahaica-Berbice); Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) and Eight (Potaro-Siparuni). It underscored that domestic violence was more accepted among those living in rural areas than those living in urban settlements for both men and women. Further, domestic violence is also highly prevalent in the poorest of families.

According to the Crime and Social Observatory (CSO) within the Public Security Ministry, between 2011 and 2013, more than 9200 different types of domestic violence cases were registered in Guyana, with 65 per cent of them involving assault.

Notably, despite the fact that the majority of victims were older than 25 years old, UNICEF stated that there were a significant percentage of children (eight per cent) and young adults (16 per cent) being victims of domestic violence.

The UN agency added that domestic violence had a straight connection to gender-based violence. “Between 2006 and 2007, there was an estimated 50 per cent increase in the total number of GBV victims, 3600 more than the previous year,” it said, adding that the largest increase was recorded in Berbice (Regions Five and Six (East Berbice-Corentyne)), where reported cases rose steeply from approximately 300 in 2006 to 1890 in 2007, representing a 500 per cent increase.

It stated that a combination of social norms and social and cultural practices have been identified as the main factors that influence violence against women. “In this sense, using a sociological perspective, gender-based violence, and attitudes toward it, could be sub-divided into two sets of causes: those at the individual level and those at the social level,” it said.

The report stated that overall, 10 per cent of men and women between 15 and 49 years old believe it is justifiable for a husband to physically abuse his wife if she goes out without telling him, neglects the children, argues with him, refuses sex with him or if burns the food. This, it said, is a considerable reduction when compared to 18 per cent in 2006, according to the Bureau of Statistics and UNICEF Guyana, 2008.

It added that lack of punishment for those men that perpetrate violence against women was one factor that reinforced violent acts in the country. It contended that between January and November of 2015, 582 cases of domestic violence were reported in Berbice; 326 of them reached the court, but only 17 men were convicted.

“According to stakeholders, the belief of impunity reinforces violent behaviour among different populations in Guyana,” it stated, noting that in many cases, the perpetrator is let go when reports are made, victims refuse to give statements to the Police or to the courts and are afraid of being stigmatised or being objected to future violence.

In May 2010, the Sexual Offences Act was passed to primarily strengthen measures for gender based abuse prevention.