Abuse must stop

Times have changed drastically when things we would not even dream of doing or being part of, in years gone by, are the norm now. Cursing a neighbour in the vilest manner, abusing children physically and verbally, disrespecting women and men in all forms and fashion are the norm in TT today. You have to be so careful not to make eye contact with certain people for you may receive a tongue lashing...or worse.

Sometimes when I listen to the news and am informed on what was done to children by adults and crimes against women, it makes my stomach turn and my insides cry out. I will also like to state that there are men who also suffer abuse of some form. Men too are victims. Abuse, in any form is not right and no one should be subjected to it.

Now if there is going to be any change in the habit of abusing one another, whether physically, mentally or verbally, right-thinking citizens must take up the fight and make a stand. This is where there is a serious problem as persons being abused are so often very slow to speak out or share with someone what they are going through. Ever so often, evidence reveals the dark secret. Yet the ball is in the court of the victim, making a decision to stand up for their rights and put a stop to the abuse.

In the case of children, it is both the children and observers who need to speak out. I believe children should be encouraged to do so by relevant authorities and more importantly by their parents. The problem with this is that persons in positions of trust sometimes are the ones abusing a child. How then can that child speak up? To whom shall they turn to? We need to be each other’s keeper. We need to look for the signs of abuse and report it to the relevant authorities.

Ending abuse must be a team effort and must involve persons from the level of community all the way up to the levels of the courts and government.

It takes collective will but it can be done.

Arnold Gopeesingh San Juan