President David Granger has indicated his support for clear-cut investigations to be conducted into the root causes of domestic violence as concerns surrounding the scourge continue to be mounted across the country.

Addressing a seminar on tackling domestic violence in Guyana on Friday, Mr. Granger told a room full of Magistrates, Judges, Government Officials and members of several local Non – Governmental Organizations, that any effort to eradicate violence must start at an investigation of the causes.

The President spoke extensively on the occurrences of state sponsored violence and other forms of criminal violence and said these were the secondary outcome of domestic violence.

To this end, the President said a change in the several deep-seated cultural and other social behaviours that fuel domestic violence must change if Guyana is to become a safer country.

Mr. Granger stressed the relationship between domestic violence and other forms of criminal activity and reminded those gathered of police statistics which indicate a total of 39, 566 reports of domestic violence being made between 2005 and 2014. This is calculated at an average of 10 reports per day.

“Violence at home cannot be separated from violence in the state… violence is a human invention aimed at perpetuating dominance and Guyana is committed to eradicating Domestic Violence,” the Head of State added.

He said the time has arrived for citizens to work together to eradicate decades of a culture of domestic violence that was left to foster.

Also delivering brief remarks during the opening of the seminar on Friday was Chancellor of the Judiciary (ag), Carl Singh.

The Chancellor said he was increasingly becoming alarmed with the frequent reports of domestic violence in Guyana and the brutality and viciousness that accompanied the acts. He said it was an indication that men were going bizarre but at the same time said there was a need to pay more attention to the incidents of men being abused by women.

Chancellor Singh said fighting domestic violence has proven to be an uphill task but noted that in order to yield results efforts must be made to strengthen the justice system and educate citizens. Both Justice Singh and the President were keen to noted that stringent laws were not enough and more are needed to be done to prevent the acts of violence.

The seminar was also supported by Commonwealth Secretariat in collaboration with the Judiciary of Guyana and the Commonwealth Magistrates’ and Judges’ Association.

It aims to promote police and judicial sensitization of gender issues and the law, create awareness of the incidence of gender based violence, foster an understanding of the psychology of the abuser and victim and strengthen knowledge of the role of the court.