Wife escapes years of abuse; husband was arrested for dousing her with gasoline
A 55-year-old woman who has been married for over 35 years, has suffered years of violent abuse but it was an incident that occurred on February 23, 2022, that forced her to muster the courage to leave her husband.
The mother of six children from the West Coast of Berbice, told the News Room that the man recently doused her with gasoline.
She has since moved to a safe location. She recalled that on the day in question (February 23), she fell ill from high blood pressure and hyperglycemia ( high blood sugar) and had plans to spend some time at her brother’s but it did not go as planned.
The tearful woman said that her husband confronted her and an argument ensued. He reportedly grabbed a container with gasoline and threw it on her body and mercilessly battered her while he threatened to burn the house down with her inside.
During the vicious attack, she managed to run over to the neighbour’s house.
She then called a taxi to go to a relative’s house and when she arrived, she collapsed on the ground.
The woman was immediately rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where she was admitted for sometime.
Following her release from the institution, she was contacted by a welfare officer who directed her to the Fort Wellington Police Station to file a report on the incident.
However, the woman said her experience with the police ranks there has left her even more scared and feeling unprotected.
She said she was treated “like a dog” and “a pig” as she relayed her story and she felt more like the accused rather than the victim.
According to her, at one point, she requested that the police accompany her to the house to uplift her belongings and she was told that she can’t go to the house because “it is the man house.”
The case eventually went to the court but on the first day, the accused did not show up; he also did not show up the second time but was subsequently arrested on May 16, 2022.
He then appeared at the Fort Wellington Magistrate’s Court and was granted $15,000 bail.
“I don’t know what he was charged with because when I call the police, first them said they tried calling me and I didn’t answer, then they said how they don’t have a number for me.”
She said the entire situation has caused her much and she just wants justice to be served.
She has to return to court on June 1, 2022.