“All I am begging people to do is to just reach out…if the victim cannot reach out and you are a friend or family member, just reach out to us on their behalf.” This was the appeal of Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud as she reflected on the tragic killing of 36-year-old Teekadai Atiya Solomon today at her Charlotte Street apartment.
In an exclusive interview with Guyana Standard, Minister Persaud extended condolences to the family of the victim who was shot 10 times by her husband, 36-year-old Alroy Solomon. The suspect also shot and wounded his 10-year-old son before subsequently killing himself at the scene.
Minister Persaud said, “We continue to fight very hard against gender-based violence and while I understand the outrage of the public, I want to remind that there are several mechanisms in place for reporting abuse.”
In this regard, the minister noted that there is the 914 hotline, which operates 24/7. She said, “Many times, people know of the abuse but they don’t report it… sometimes you cannot wait until the victim musters the courage to report because they are under severe psychological and emotional control…”
Minister Persaud also noted that there is the iMatter application which gives users direct access to the country’s 914 toll-free domestic abuse hotline and is available on both Google Play (as iMatter) and the Apple Store (as iMattergy). Created in March 2021, iMatter is a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security and the Guyana Spotlight Initiative.
Minister Persaud said the app has a panic button that can be utilised by victims. She also shared that it has been upgraded to have a chat feature. “This allows persons to chat with our legal team and councillors and get help through WhatsApp…”
The official also outlined that there are Hope and Justice Centers. “It does not function as a police station but we have police ranks, medical personnel, councillors and other crucial stakeholders who can help them if they are scared. It is a safe space.”
Further, the minister noted that there is the Survivor Advocate Programme where an advocate is paired with a victim who is then coached on all the options available to receive all forms of support.
Apart from the foregoing, the official stressed that there are shelters across the country to house women and children, adding that the government provides three months’ rent, free legal support, and counselling.
She also highlighted the importance of the Family Violence Act, passed last year, which provides protection for every member of a family who is exposed to any type of violence, including sexual and verbal. While lauding the importance of this legislation, the minister expressed concern about the bail that is set for offenders. “My concern is the bail being set… one of the things I want to see is these people who get bail, that it is much higher or some of these offences become non-bailable because it may be a way to inhibit someone from getting out after two or three days of committing an assault to do worse when they get out…,” said the minister.
As it pertains to working with the Guyana Police Force, she said this is being done. Persaud said training is conducted through COPSQUAD2000, a partnership of the Human Services and Social Security and Home Affairs Ministries, the Guyana Police Force, and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The programme aims to improve officers’ knowledge of the laws governing gender-based violence and to equip them with the training they need to respond to cases of gender-based violence in a way that would safeguard the victims.
In July, the Department of Public Information reported that a youth-friendly, men’s empowerment hub – called the BRAVE Centre – was commissioned at the West Central Mall, Leonora, Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara). This centre is an initiative of the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, in collaboration with the Region Three Chamber of Commerce and Industry. With it, men and youth in Region Three can have a dedicated space for support. The centre’s opening came just a month after the BRAVE national policy was launched.
BRAVE stands for Build your legacy, Reclaim manhood, Activate goals, Visualise success, and Execute fearlessly. BRAVE is a men’s policy and a new national framework aimed at involving men and boys in efforts to prevent gender-based violence (GBV), while promoting emotional well-being and personal responsibility.
With the foregoing in mind, the minister said it is not that the government is not trying, but it is crucial to remind that help is available.
