The crime of smiling

THE WOMAN in charge of the police’s brand-new Gender-Based Violence Unit (GBVU) on Tuesday had some stern advice for women.

“Don’t smile,” said acting Supt Claire Guy-Alleyne. “If a man approaches you and engages you in small talk and you are uncomfortable, let him know up front you don’t appreciate it, and you can walk away. Don’t empower that man by smiling.”

Ms Guy-Alleyne was speaking as the country continued to reel from the brutal killing of Ashanti Riley, 18, who entered a PH taxi a few days ago and was never seen alive by her family again.

The officer’s “advice,” with all its insinuations of victim-blaming, represented an incredible lapse of judgment from the very official who is supposed to do better.

The whole purpose of the GBVU is to change the way authorities treat with misogynistic violence. For far too long, there have been complaints that officers do not take gender violence seriously, do not enforce protection orders, do not believe women when they come forward.

“These officers are specially-trained,” Police Commissioner Gary Griffith assured when the unit was launched in January. “The victims will now feel comfortable.”

But can victims feel comfortable when the head of the GBVU seems to believe women are somehow to blame for the actions of men?

Not only did Ms Guy-Alleyne suggest a woman’s body language somehow “empowers” a man to violate her, she further implied there is a particular onus on women not to get “lost” in their phones.

The hazards of social media – including its facilitation of geolocation, hacking and breaches of data privacy – do not discriminate one way or the other, yet Ms Guy-Alleyne urged women to “think about it.”

“Be conscious of that,” she said.

Think. Be vigilant. Look around. Don’t reveal too much. Don’t smile too much. These are cousins to: Don’t ask for it.

We all have to be careful and exercise caution and Ms Guy-Alleyne undoubtedly had the best of intentions. She likely wanted to emphasise things people frequently discount.

But in the context of a culture of toxic masculinity in which the focus falls all too frequently on the conduct of women – not the men who violate them – we disapprove of the overall insinuations of Ms Guy-Alleyne’s commentary.

Much better is expected of a police officer, particularly the head of the GBVU.

What makes things worse is the fact that when news broke about Ashanti Riley, a few days ago, her family was reportedly subject to despicable commentary from individuals who viewed her image as giving them licence to make all sorts of inappropriate sexual remarks.

Blaming smiling women encourages society to focus on everything else but the men responsible.

So no, we are not smiling.

But not for the reasons stated by the officer.