Men march against domestic violence

– Ramotar says issue needs to be addressed in the home

Chants of “no more licks,” reverberated when a gathering of men led a walk through the streets of Georgetown on Saturday sending a strong message to the public that they abhor domestic violence and pledged not to countenance the culture of abuse plaguing the society.
President Donald Ramotar delivered on his promise to join the walk that ended in the National Park after participants assembled in the vicinity of the Umana Yana at 7:00h and proceeded along a route that included Main, Regent and Albert streets.
Leading the way was a banner carrying the theme, “When you heat up, don’t beat up”, followed by activists, including a few women from the government, the diplomatic corps, the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and civil society.
The walk organised by the Mens’ Affairs Bureau (MAB) caught the curiosity of several onlookers, some of whom hailed President Ramotar upon observation and commended the initiative with cheerful remarks.
It comes at a time when the country has recorded 13 domestic violence related deaths for 2012. Although in significant proportions women are often the victims, Reverend Patrick Findlay who heads the MAB, spoke about daily accounts of men filing complaints about being abused by their female partners.
The bureau was launched in March last year under the Labour, Human Services and Social Security Ministry as a special unit for men with mandates similar to that of the Women’s Affairs Bureau catering to women.
Apart from finding a niche for men who are victims of domestic violence, the MAB also promotes activities to help them realise their true potential as fathers, husbands, parents and role models.
Saturday’s activity saw men affixing their signature to a resolution that reaffirms their commitment to their spouse and their offsprings, to demonstrate love, servitude and protection at all times.
President Ramotar,  signed the resolution along with Prime Minister Samuel Hinds; United States Ambassador Brent Hardt; Mexican Ambassador Francisco Olguin; Reverend Dr Kwame Gilbert and Bishop Juan Edghill among other participants.
The head of state hailed the initiative as one that will add to the process of building a humane society free from violence and where everyone is their “brother’s keeper”, as said in the good book.
He, however, believes that the process begins in the home where socialisation is primary. “Children growing up in an atmosphere where there is domestic violence… affects them tremendously… it has a serious phsyhological effect that will mark that child forever,” President Ramotar said.
The president linked domestic violence to other crimes in society and pointed to some of the cause factors that can be corrected like school drop outs and drug abuse.