The Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) has commended the Guyana Police Force (GPF) for the decisiveness with which it responded to the rape and sexual violence against a 20-year-old Amerindian young woman at the Raghoo Bar in Soesdyke.

The Guyana Police Force (GPF) has since arrested several persons in connection to the alleged sexual assault of the young woman. Others are wanted.

In a statement, the Human Rights Association has encouraged the other Government Agencies with responsibilities for law, women and Amerindian matters to sustain a similarly energetic response.

“Indigenous females are, for cultural reasons, particularly vulnerable to being duped into abusive situations in coastal Guyana, but their vulnerability is not unique. Sexual violence against women and girl children is endemic in Guyana requiring them to be constantly vigilant of their surroundings and whereabouts, which mini-bus to use, street to walk on, clothes that might send a wrong message,” the GHRA said.

The human rights body said public reactions of the incident contrast sharply with the growing acceptance of sexually objectifying women routinely projected in the proliferation of strip clubs, trafficking of girls for prostitution and lewd posts on social media.

“Too often, immediate passionate indignation from Ministers, the police, politicians and religious leaders eventually simmers down into more routine, evasive action. The most shocking example of such behavior was the mere removal from office of a Minister of a government widely considered by public opinion to be s responsible for rape of a young indigenous woman. Alarmingly, his name recently appeared on the new electoral list of candidates of the ruling party.  This kind of evasion is no longer acceptable,” The GHRA noted.

The Association is calling for the incident not be treated as an isolated one but as the latest in a string of sexual crimes against women. The GHRA said it also supports cancelling the licence and closure of the Raghoo Bar.

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