You're not going to like this...
Apr. 6th, 2003 10:09 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tcpipThe lowest level of the week was witnessing a woman being kicked late one night, whilst sprawled on the ground outside the Ministry building.
In the darkness, at first we thought the tiny body was that of a dog. Then, with horror from the cries of pain, we thought it might be a child.
As we approached the woman, her assaultant ran into the darkness. She lay there whimpering, in a disheveled state, with spittle foaming at her lips. Attempts to approach simply led to more cries of fear.
Angrily we turned to the Security Guards at the building. "Why didn't you stop this?!", "Why didn't you help her?", "Why didn't you call the police?", we demanded.
They shrugged their shoulders. One remarked, "We look after the building. It's not our job". Another, "She's just a crazy woman".
We were stunned at their complete insensitivity, their overwhelming thoughtlessness. My work companion 'phoned the police, who arrived shortly.
It got worse. "Ahh, she's just a crazy woman", said the police officer.
We couldn't take it anymore. "She's been assaulted, she's traumatized, she needs medical attention. And we want you to arrange it, NOW."
The officer, shrugged, ambled back to his vehicle and called on the radio. In time, an international worker of some sort arrived. We explained the situation to them. They took my work companion's name. They bundled the woman in the back of a vehicle and drove off. Hopefully to a medical center of some sort.
I don't care if it's part of your "culture" to ignore such violence. I don't care if you have a patriarchial culture and that this is "normal". I don't care that the woman was "crazy". She is a human being, and no human being deserves to be treated that way. Universal human rights must always transcend cultural biases.
So another day passes. I will be at work again, doing my requisite 12 hours. And I keep the knowledge, that the building is being guarded by people who sit on their arse, do nothing, and collect their meagre wages. And a quiet, burning anger will remain within me.
In the darkness, at first we thought the tiny body was that of a dog. Then, with horror from the cries of pain, we thought it might be a child.
As we approached the woman, her assaultant ran into the darkness. She lay there whimpering, in a disheveled state, with spittle foaming at her lips. Attempts to approach simply led to more cries of fear.
Angrily we turned to the Security Guards at the building. "Why didn't you stop this?!", "Why didn't you help her?", "Why didn't you call the police?", we demanded.
They shrugged their shoulders. One remarked, "We look after the building. It's not our job". Another, "She's just a crazy woman".
We were stunned at their complete insensitivity, their overwhelming thoughtlessness. My work companion 'phoned the police, who arrived shortly.
It got worse. "Ahh, she's just a crazy woman", said the police officer.
We couldn't take it anymore. "She's been assaulted, she's traumatized, she needs medical attention. And we want you to arrange it, NOW."
The officer, shrugged, ambled back to his vehicle and called on the radio. In time, an international worker of some sort arrived. We explained the situation to them. They took my work companion's name. They bundled the woman in the back of a vehicle and drove off. Hopefully to a medical center of some sort.
I don't care if it's part of your "culture" to ignore such violence. I don't care if you have a patriarchial culture and that this is "normal". I don't care that the woman was "crazy". She is a human being, and no human being deserves to be treated that way. Universal human rights must always transcend cultural biases.
So another day passes. I will be at work again, doing my requisite 12 hours. And I keep the knowledge, that the building is being guarded by people who sit on their arse, do nothing, and collect their meagre wages. And a quiet, burning anger will remain within me.
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no subject
Date: 2003-04-05 07:18 pm (UTC)