Guyana is a violent society that runs on patriarchal sexism. The violence that is regularly experienced by women and gender minoritised groups is found in every single section of our society. Even in places where professionalism is touted as being a given, this violence is present and festering, but often goes unaddressed.
This norm is partly due to the belief that women’s bodies are not really their own. This belief frames sexual harassment as being something that is normal and which needs to be ignored. To do otherwise can often result in women being labeled as troublemakers or not “team players,” and in the case of the workplace it can result in them being sidelined for promotions or even let go. So what often happens is that women are either explicitly or implicitly taught to view sexual harassment as not being a big deal and to suppress any feelings to the contrary.
