Call the Police

Bright blessings , all. This morning I telephoned the Victim's Hotline at the Royal Bahamas Police Force Headquarters. I wanted to ask some questions about the stories we've all heard about acts of sexual violence and extreme harrasment being committed against women detainees in Nassau by uniformed police with apparent patriarchal impunity. The woman officer who answered said she didn't know anthing at all about widespread violence against women detainees, though she did very obviously knew about our sister, and her nightmare at the Grove Police Station . She advised me to telephone the liason officer (male). She said she would reach out to help Ruth with her frightening situation , and assured me that she and her department (I believe its perfectly appropriate to also make calls to the Complaints and Corruption Unit (242-302-8010), as well as the Commissioner of Police (242-325-7601. What if thirteen thousand of us made polite and insistent calls to them all , coming in from around the world urging the Bahamian Police Force to bring to justice the cops who believe they can use the power of the uniform to terrorize the thousands and thousands of Bahamian women who are already at the most risk. What do you say, my global sisters? Who can join me in this telephone campagne for justice, for Ruth, and for all of us? Thank you for your collective voices. (Of course, dear sisters, we'll remember that we're not calling to cuss out the police, we are simply raising our voices for justice.) Courage and empowerment to you all.