By| Marvin cato | HGP Nightly news|
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA — Minister of Human Services and Social Security Dr. Vindhya Persaud has issued an urgent appeal for a transparent, national dialogue on family dynamics, discipline, and structural violence, asserting that the root causes of domestic abuse run significantly deeper than basic anger management issues.
Speaking during a “Let’s Gaff” interactive session on her official Facebook page, Minister Persaud challenged conventional social explanations regarding cycles of domestic abuse and family dysfunction. While acknowledging the common sociological phrase “hurt people, hurt people,” Persaud argued that the true crisis facing Guyanese households stems from unaddressed trauma.
“Untreated pain passes down,” Dr. Persaud stated. She noted that while it remains easy for society to point fingers and attribute rising familial breakdown to bad parenting or poor temper control, policymakers must investigate whether these violent behaviors are survival instincts that were simply never addressed.
The Minister specifically targeted traditional methods of child-rearing and discipline, urging parents to recognize the boundary between constructive guidance and systemic emotional suppression.
“We punish children for showing the exact same big emotions we were taught to suppress,” Persaud observed. “We confuse compliance with respect and fear with good behavior.”
A critical shortfall in modern households, according to the Minister, is the normalization of subtle emotional neglect. She pointed out that families frequently ignore deep emotional friction simply because parents successfully provide basic material needs like food, clothing, and shelter without physical altercation.
Persaud questioned whether material provision alone is sufficient to safeguard a child’s development, asking a fundamental question: how can the country break these generational cycles?
“It requires more than just anyone trying to do better,” the Minister explained. “It requires us to look at our own patterns and ask the uncomfortable questions.”
Persaud emphasized that true family healing extends far beyond the cessation of physical battery. It demands an end to institutionalized silence and the subtle emotional warfare that relatives frequently wage against one another on a daily basis.
To transition this discourse from online platforms into community action, Dr. Persaud announced plans to launch extensive regional consultations over the coming months. The upcoming face-to-face sessions across the country will be geared toward engaging directly with citizens to draft practical, community-led intervention strategies to support families currently grappling with domestic dysfunction and emotional distress.
