Latest update April 19th, 2024 12:59 AM
Oct 09, 2014 News
As part of its continued effort to bring about awareness and stamp out domestic violence, the One Billion Rising Movement (OBR) is taking its campaign to several interior locations.
OBR is a global campaign to end violence against women, rise for justice and promote gender equality.
The “billion” refers to the UN statistic that states one in three women will be raped or beaten in their lifetime. It was started in 2012 as part of the V-day movement which was initiated by celebrated playwright, Eve Ensler, who is best known for her book “the Vagina Monologues.”
Ensler, who visited Guyana recently, noted that the movement has initiated one of the largest revolutions globally to end violence against women and girls. OBR was introduced to Guyana through Caribbean American Domestic Violence organization (CADVA).
Last Monday, Regional Coordinator of CADVA, Diane Madray, joined a group of over 50 men and women from across the country in a rally and “speak out,” session hosted by the organisation.
Madray said that the activity creates a platform for women and men from the grassroot communities to come together in spite of ethnicity, religious belief, social standing and other differentiating factors to be sensitized and educated about the causes and effects of domestic violence.
During the interactive session, several women from the interior locations, who joined the rally, shared their stories of rape, sexual abuse and other forms of violence. She said that the downpour on Monday morning did not prevent the participants from sharing their stories, dancing and singing.
She added that even though language might have been a barrier for the Amerindians, some of the participants spoke through an interpreter and told stories of women being raped in the hinterland communities.
As such, she expressed the need for indigenous people to be further educated about their constitutional rights and how they can access the laws which were established to protect them.
The coordinator said that she never realized the pain and suffering, which the women in these communities endured. As part of her commitment, Madray said that she will be mobilising financial support from CADVA and OBR to extend the campaign to the interior locations.
Madray said that the talks of trauma and abuse and the need for healing began with a discussion on women’s health care issue; the need for adequate health care services in the interior locations was also highlighted.
“My heart was breaking as I never realized their pain and suffering when they (the indigenous people) shared about their disconnect with the rest of Guyana…Teen pregnancies seem to be common and the need for education for these communities were lacking. For some as I looked across the room, I can see the permanent scars (physical scars) for women who were physically broken by the act of domestic violence and the need to have the proper health care put in place.”
Please share this to every Guyanese including your house cats.
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