International Day for the Elimination of
Violence Against
Women 2012
Statement at Help
& Shelter Vigil
November 25, 2012
The Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD)
stands with all women today as we observe International Day for the Elimination
of Violence Against Women. As the world observes this particular day many women
are still suffering violence daily. Some are raped, some are subjected to
physical, emotional and psychological abuse while some have the challenging
task of moving beyond the abuse as survivors. In Guyana we continue to witness
a pandemic of intimate-partner violence in the daily news across the local
media as women continue to be abused and killed.
The prevention of gender-based violence needs to be high on the national
agenda of our policy-makers, and education on this issue should be increased so
that the message of zero tolerance for violence resonates more and more across the
length and breadth of Guyana. Gender equality is not an ideal, but an
imperative we must achieve for women to reach their full potential and live
their lives independently and free from all violence.
We continue to see the psychological, emotional and economic
effects of violence against women whether they are heterosexual, lesbian,
bisexual or transgender women. Today, we should be encouraged to continue to
vigorously campaign to raise awareness nationally and internationally to end
all forms of gender-based violence, including homophobic and transphobic
violence, by lobbying our leaders to prioritize actions to prosecute
perpetrators, support survivors and break the cycles of violence.
To the women and girls who have lost their lives due to domestic
violence, today we remember you. To the women and girls who continue to face violence
in their daily lives, we hear your cry and we are here for you. To those who
are survivors, we are thankful that you are alive and well today and we pray
for your continued healing. And even as
we gather here today for International Day for the Elimination of Violence
Against Women, another Guyanese woman has lost her life at the hands of her
male partner. Forty-year Indranie Sugrim of Cummings Lodge was killed by her
husband today – five years into an abusive relationship, which relatives knew
about. The killing of our women must stop! Domestic violence is everybody’s
business. Indranie Sugrim could have been alive today if someone had
intervened. Let’s observe a minute of silence for Indranie Sugrim and all the
women we have lost to gender-based violence.
Thank you.
Richard Pitman
Advocacy and
Communication Officer: SASOD - Guyana
Society Against Sexual
Orientation Discrimination (SASOD)
169 Charlotte
Street,
Lacytown, Georgetown
Email: sasod.officer@gmail.com
Website: http://www.sasod.org.gy
Phone: (592) 225-7283
(O); 600-5124 (C).
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