The increasing violence against women has become a shadow pandemic, which is affecting women at an accelerated pace, globally. In a tenement block in Austerville Drive; women, as tenants, are bearing the brunt as mothers, wives, partners, sisters, daughters, widows, divorcees, and the many other roles they find themselves in.
As we all know people who live in tenements are constantly affected by the building’s integrity, and the quality of communal property that is shared among neighbours. Is there a decent lock on the security gate, or can anyone just walk in? Are the stairs clean, well presented and properly lit, or is it messy, covered in graffiti, unpleasant and dark? These women have also installed CCTV cameras for their own safety, and that of their children.
While these women have been ensuring that all of the above is carried out, they lament that they have to contend with a nightmare neighbour, who incidentally is also an illegal tenant in the block. He has threatened these women with violence of all descriptions.Further to this, they have observed suspicious activity, such as heavy traffic in and out of the premises throughout the night.
They have also raised concerns about an individual who allegedly ‘recruits youngsters as drug runners’.
“We have issues of gangsterism and drugs in the flats and our seniors are being terrorised and traumatised by it. We have been urging the housing department and police to prioritise our safety concerns,”
“We feel that every time we engage the department they say they will look into it, and it feels like they are stalling, while the police have categorically stated that they cannot investigate hearsay”
“We have been asking for years that the department and police evict the tenant because our safety is really at risk with him around there”“We fear that once they gain control, this bad element will move in with the risk of sexual exploitation and violence. Children, as well as adults, are used as drug runners.
Some vulnerable adults may even be forced to leave their homes, making themselves homeless whilst leaving dealers free to buy and sell drugs”, the ladies morosely stated.
It seems that despite the unprecedented upsurge of movements for women’s rights, equality, safety and justice, the crime against women and girls is still continuing. Not enough is done to prevent violence, and when it does occur, it often goes unpunished.
By: Lorraine Richards