Working title #234

To everyone I say, sorry for the hiatus, but I have been incredibly busy these days. What? A girl's gotta eat.

But something has prompted me to come out of hiding, if only for a brief moment. Last night yuh girl was taking a small lime in Woodbrook. Around the Rosalino, Warren and Roberts St. intersection (we was limin' eh... jes liming). Talk was sweet and me and de gyuls rock back nice nice. All of a sudden, I hear somebody in the crew bawl, "Look she tryin to get out de door!"

Who is she? And what door you referring too lady? My head finally turn, only to see a pewter gray Hilux, pulled to the side, indicator on, and a man in the driver seat brutalizing the woman in the car with him. I mean, this woman was no bigger than my thumbnail, and he looked like he was imitating Mike Tyson.

People! When I tell you, my blood boil, my stomach turn, my heart start tuh pain... is a miracle I eh end up in de hospital too eh. Words cannot describe the intense ire that coursed its way through my entire body. If anybody knows me (and mih crew) they would know that we attended a splendid secondary institution for young women in the Port of Spain area; one that when mentioned in polite society, is often followed by words like "arrogant" and "feminist". Needless to say, we left our table en masse and headed in the direction of the pickup... if anything to have a chat with the shit snake in the front seat.

We reach right up to the window before he even notice what was going on... what with the intense concentration on the task at hand and all. You know, homie watch we, put de car into gear and drive off!! But we should have expected that right?

Nah! What was de killer, is that he pull aside not more than a block away in front of us and continued his assault on the young woman. Clearly he needed to finish what he was doing. Well we ambush dat again, and by this time about three of us have called 999 simultaneously (and one got an answering machine but that is another story altogether). The fact of the matter is that odious acts of this nature are still happening to women today. Someone in the group mentioned that it reminded him of that saying about roaches.

"If you see one out in the open there are many many more lurking the the shadows."

It isn't right... and neither is the nonchalance with which the police treat such incidents. We are a nation striding toward "First World" status and we should be able to treat such severe disregard for human life and rights with the attention it deserves.

Violence against women is heinous, and leaks into every fiber of family life. It stretches its fingers into the lives of all those privy to and around it.

If you or anyone you know is in a situation where there is physical, verbal or psychological abuse, please contact the Trinidad & Tobago Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
And remember people, rel primary school vibes... keep yuh blasted hands to yuhself.

Labels: abuse, Domestic Violence, Man, Police, Women, Woodbrook