Dear Editor,

As a human rights activist and a feminist, I find the discussion on verbal abuse against women quite interesting. However while it is true that men in Guyana often engage in various types of sexist and vulgar behaviour against women, we must be careful not to generalize. Indeed men in Guyana, like men in other countries, are not homogeneous. Of course the same is true of women.

Unfortunately those women who “don’t mind catcalls from men”, could be inadvertently condoning sexist behaviour which other women find offensive. Further, a distinction must be made between a compliment and insulting, demeaning, vulgar and sexist comments, which are essentially sexual harassment. No civilized society should condone this imbalance and misuse of power.

Finally men have mothers, wives and daughters. We must encourage them not to say anything to women that they would not want other men to say to the women in their lives.

Yours faithfully,

June Veecock