Dear Christine,
I have a nine-month-old baby whose father is a police officer. This man never supported me in my pregnancyand has never supported his son up to now.
He struck me in my neck and in between my breasts a few weeks after I found out I was pregnant.
He cursed me the same night I got home from hospital because I cut the child’s nails . . . when we actually agreed on it.
This man went to hit me because I breastfed while I had a cold. He wanted to bathe the baby in the kitchen sink, mop the house with bleach and kerosene oil with the baby in his hands.
He carried away my baby from me. He even grabbed and dragged my son out of my hands with such force that I had to let go so he wouldn’t get hurt.
I made a complaint, and the officers told me that I can’t press charges because he is the baby’s father and he is a police officer. Nothing was done.
He is an officer with rank, but it seems I don’t matter.
After the child was born, he never called to see how his child was doing, and because I registered the child in my name he says he does not have a child.
The police authorities [I complain to] are telling me I cant do anything for what he did. He wants dismissing from his job.
Police officers are supposed to uphold the law and they are breaking it. Nothing is being done about my complaints.
– H.G.
Dear H.G.,
If, as you have outlined, you were physically abused, that is a serious charge. It’s even worse if the police did not record – as they should have – your report of this incident.
No wonder you are so angry at this man, as the statements made here, and those I have deleted for legal reasons, show.
I would advise you to give a statement to your lawyer so he can write a report and send it to the Commissioner of Police immediately.
This may ensure that your matter is quickly dealt with. Also send a copy of the complaint to the Attorney General to ensure that someone else in authority knows of your plight.
If what you said happened, those lawmen who took a statement from you and advised that you can do nothing about your treatment, given that the child’s father is a police officer, are failing in their duty.
If you know their names and/or numbers, make sure and put them in your complaint as well.
A policeman has a responsibility to uphold the law; therefore, if he is breaking it in any way he should be punished for his behaviour. In any case, no man has any right to manhandle a woman.
You need to pursue this to show this man you are serious. Maybe then he will start to respect you and treat you and his child properly.
Please let us know how this turns out.
– Christine.
