The land of murderous husbands
THE EDITOR: Thank you for once again highlighting the plight of women victims of domestic violence. I continue to be amazed how angry we get about other types of crime, kidnappings, burglaries, drug busts, but treat the cases of domestic violence as if "she look for that". Domestic violence, like violence in all aspects of human life, is escalating. More spouses are killed violently than ever before, or maybe, it is just exposed more. Yet, no other major forum in Trinidad and Tobago, other than the Ministry of Women’s Affairs and the Gender Affairs group at UWI, has made this issue its particular focus. It has remained a Women’s Issue, and not the business of the Chamber of Commerce, the Rotary Club and the Jaycees. It is a symbol of our backwardness that at the crossroads of so many major cultures and religions, women are continually brutalised by spouses, as if it was no big thing. Does this not affect the "business climate" as do other forms of crime? Part of the reason, I believe, is the artificial constraints put on women’s behaviour by a restrictive male dominated society. My sisters in Trinidad, and by that I mean all women, are not free. Those with jobs that are self-supporting are not the majority in the society, and so, women trade themselves for shelter and material things. The man then feels that he owns the woman and can trample on her human rights, and even kill her. What percentage of women in Trinidad earn enough to be self-supporting? Doctors and lawyers do not represent the women of the society. Too many of them are in low-paying jobs where they could be fired at will. Education is the answer. Every school girl should leave secondary school with some saleable skill with which she can support herself. She should also be educated about contraception, for which she should take responsibility, so that she will not find herself pregnant for "Mr Walk away from responsibility for his sexual behaviour." When a woman is not self-supporting, society sets her up to be a victim. Women must free themselves from this yoke. They must provide, as it were, their own dowries. Girl scout groups, church youth groups and other community groups need to put domestic violence on their agenda, and strengthen young women’s sense of self. LINDA EDWARDS Port-of-Spain
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"The land of murderous husbands"