COP Women’s Arm renews call for women to carry pepper spray

The Women’s Arm of the Congress of the People (COP) is renewing its call for women to carry pepper spray to protect themselves as crimes against women in T&T continue to rise.

In a press release on Saturday, the COP release said T&T’s women and children are being preyed upon and it seems as though leaders are unbothered. 

“Resources (financial and manpower) are being utilised to investigate issues such as DSS’s money and yet we have this ugly evil scenario that keeps playing itself over and over, a scourge being left unchecked. Ironically, today is the day that Shannon Banfield’s body was found at IAM’s. Has justice yet been served?  Her family continues to wait for justice. It is time for the Women’s Groups and the Women’s Arms to rise up and condemn these actions.”

This comes as sectors across T&T have expressed their rage over the death of teenager Ashanti Riley. Her decomposed body was found in Santa Cruz on Friday.

“We renew the call for women to be given the right to carry pepper spray as a means of protecting themselves, we also call for the upgrade of our systems to reflect the times we live in, the AMBER Alert system is something that should be considered. The call for our women to be allowed to carry pepper spray has been made before by none other than the wife of our current Commissioner of Police, Mrs Nicole Dyer-Griffith, we need to revisit this request,” COP’s release said.

The COP’s release also said many of these “evil monsters” have been raised in homes and communities across the country and it is time people in communities report what they see.

“Our prayers go out for the families and friends who have fallen victim to these heinous crimes perpetuated. It’s time for action!” COP’s media release stated.