Guyana records over 300 sexual assault cases monthly – MHSS reveals

…women, children account for majority of cases

Over 300 cases of sexual abuse are recorded on a monthly basis across the country, according to statistics from the Human Services and Social Security Ministry’s Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Policy Unit.
On Tuesday, Guyana joined the international community to observe sexual assault month. April is designated as Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month. Sexual violence is a major public health, human rights and social justice issue that impacts millions globally.
In Guyana, the Ministry through its Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Policy Unit in collaboration with The Imperial House launched its ‘Asking for It’ Exhibition and Workshop. Held at the Umana Yana in Georgetown, the event is dedicated to raising awareness about sexual assault. It also intends to challenge victim-blaming narratives.

Speaking at the opening ceremony was Head of the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Policy Unit, Dr Cona Husbands who revealed that hundreds of sexual assault cases are recorded every month in Guyana.
“In Guyana we do have a significant number of cases of sexual abuse… early up in the year there was a little peak and now it has started to decline but basically we have on average on a monthly basis an excess of 300 cases of sexual assault every year.”
In fact, she revealed that women and children account for majority of these cases that were recorded.
“Greater than 90 per cent of these cases are women…Now over 70 per cent of those cases are children and persons under the age of 18 years old and this is a significant number.”
Also present at the event was Human Services and Social Security Minister, Dr Vindhya Persaud who highlighted that while women and girls are the main demographic affected by sexual abuse in Guyana, men and boys are also victims.
“While we know the statistics show that more women than men disproportionately experience violence, we must never forget that boys and men experience violence. We live in a culture, a Caribbean culture or a Guyanese culture where men are told it is not okay to be anything less than strong.”
Persaud added, “Boys are told if that happened to you, you’re probably making it up or something is wrong with you. So, men and boys must not only be looked at as survivors too but also equal partners in this mission that we have to counter and eradicate violence.”
Moreover, the Minister stressed the importance of society changing the way in which we look at and deal with sexual abuse cases.
“We cannot live in a country or exist in a state where all we do is cast blame. Who should have done what, what they should have done, and when it should have been done. We should be much more than that. We need to start with education and awareness, where it needs to happen first, at home, in families, in schools, in communities, in religious settings, literally everywhere.”
Meanwhile, the exhibition which is located at the Umana Yana, Kingston, Georgetown will be opened to members of the public from April 1-7. Additionally, to observe the month the Ministry also has several other activities planned aimed at sensitising members of the public about sexual abuse.