| By Ralph SeeramIt was a town hall style meeting with over five hundred persons drawn from the Caribbean Community in attendance. The meeting was hosted by the Orange County Sheriff Department in Orlando, Florida as part of their outreach programme to discuss problems affecting the Caribbean residents in the County. The Sheriff (Chief of Police) was listening to speakers after speakers when one gentleman in the audience got up to address the meeting.“Men don’t beat your women; if you do you will get deported back to your country”.The entire audience burst out in laughter. Most of them, I am sure, did not understand the seriousness of his statement,Wholesale Jerseys Free Shipping, in part because most men in the Caribbean “get away” with domestic abuse”. They never see it as a serious problem.In the U S, domestic violence is taken seriously,Cheap Jerseys From China, so serious that the immigration laws have provisions to deport men who assault their wives. In some cases there are provisions for some married women to get to get legal status (Green Card) if they have been victims of domestic violence.There are quite a few Guyanese men who have been deported back to Guyana for this very serious crime. They came over to the USA from Guyana with the same attitude and mentality that they can beat their women without consequences,Cheap NFL Jerseys, only to find out that there is a zero tolerance for domestic violence.The problem is that the women don’t have to report it. You have a loud domestic argument in your house you see the police at your door. That’s because the neighbours call the cops. They feel that if the police come early it would prevent the situation from escalating into violence, which happens in most situations.Doctors and hospitals are required by law to report any suspicion of domestic battery. So if a woman turns up at the hospital with marks of violence on her body, medical authorities have to report it regardless if the woman agrees or not.I had a tenant whose ex-girlfriend went to the hospital with an illness; the medical personnel observed some marks on her hands and immediately called the police, who in turn came and arrested the tenant for domestic battery.Not only that, the judge ordered him to leave the house,Cheap MLB Jerseys China, even though the ex-girlfriend was not living there (he had put her out). Turns out she was the aggressor and he was only defending himself, but it took months and lawyer’s fees to get that straightened out.The point I am trying to make is how serious domestic violence is taken here in the US. Men for the most part try to avoid conflicts with women because they know the consequences whether they are right or wrong. While I am emphasizing on men, I should add that the laws work vice versa.Coming back to Guyanese men, I recall reading of a Guyanese man in New York who repeatedly assaulted his wife. While on bail for domestic battery, he broke the judge’s order of protection,wholesale jerseys, and damaged her house. He was jailed, and when released from prison a year later still went and stalked the woman.He was deported back to Guyana where I am sure he is continuing his abusive behaviour. Men with that attitude seldom change. A domestic batterer hardly changes; it’s in his DNA to have control and domination over women.Some would claim as Sparrow would say “it’s the bag of sugar down there” that causes men to hold on to these women at all cost, even to the extent of murdering them. However the simple truth is it is all about power and control; these men cannot stand losing control.The thought of writing this article came after reading of the murder of two Guyanese women within days by their respective lovers,Cheap NFL Jerseys China, lovers who by the way did the community a service by committing suicide.Slavery, if I recall, was abolished in 1834 but this has not yet dawned on most Guyanese men. They feel if they are with a woman they own her, like a piece of property. This is the type of culture and mentality they grew up with, and have been “getting away with it” over the years.The government has been making some strong pronouncements on the issue, but needs to back it up with meaningful action.The question is what alternative the women in Guyana have? Their first line of protection is the police who for the most part are (a) men, (b) not trained to handle these situations, (c) generally do not consider it a serious offence as it should be. This is more prevalent in the rural areas. I am aware that the Guyana Police have made statements to the effect that they will take this type of offence serious, but the reality is a bit different.Ralph Seeram can be reached at email: [email protected] |
