By Dennie Quill, ContributorIT TEARS me up every time I hear a fresh news report about some little girl being raped. I am particularly perturbed about the growing number of children who have been violated by taxi men, bus drivers and conductors.
I have not seen any national audit on the prevalence of sexual violence so I cannot be sure whether there have been more rape of juveniles in Jamaica over the last two years or whether there has been more consistent reporting of rape by the news media.
I submit that no offender can successfully claim that he had consensual sex with a 13-year-old girl. Such an argument is unacceptable because at that age she is incapable of consenting to sex as the law regards her as a minor. Where is the outrage from society to these dastardly acts against our children?
UNDER-REPORTED
Rape is a serious act of violence, it is not a sexual act. It is said to be the most under-reported crime worldwide, mainly because large numbers of women are raped by family members and acquaintances. They often feel that somehow they encouraged this assault.
But more then that, the victims are often left wondering what constitutes justice in the matter of rape. I have to frown on any court that raps a sexual abuser on the hand by offering him a suspended sentence. What kind of signal is such a court sending to society? How will this serve as a deterrent to men of like mind? The usual reaction to a suspended sentence is that the offender got off. In effect the victim has been raped twice, once by the criminal and again by the justice system.
The psychological trauma caused by sexual assault can be severe and long-lasting. Data indicates that the emotional after-effect of rape may include eating disorders, depression, insomnia, suicide attempts, interpersonal problems and a lifetime of sexual dysfunction. Victims and their families should be educated about their rights and be encouraged to institute civil suits against the offenders so they can recover damages. There are enormous costs involved in trying to rehabilitate the victims of sexual violence and the offenders should be made to pay.
This situation is so troubling that it should have grabbed the attention of our political leaders by now. Several victims of sexual crimes have also been killed in the most brutal fashion. One suspects that this is because the victims knew their attackers. How many more of our little girls have to be raped and killed before our policy makers consider strategies and initiatives to ensure these cruel men keep their penises in their pants?
Evil flourishes when it is ignored. I believe our politicians should be asking what more can be done to ensure that the police are equipped with the requisite tools so they can swiftly bring the perpetrators of rape to justice. I wonder, for example, whether there are legislative initiatives that could be introduced to improve and expand the DNA testing capabilities of the police.
I also believe that any taxi driver or operator of a public passenger vehicle who has been convicted of rape should have his licence revoked. If an operator cannot be trusted to transport little girls to or from school safely then he should not be allowed to be a part of the system.
In the meantime parents should be teaching their young girls survival skills. They should warn them of the evil lurking out there. I would also urge neighbourhood watches to include rape vigilance on behalf of the women and children in their communities.
Rape is the only crime when the victim is often made to bear responsibility for the violence committed against her. The pernicious ideas that women often say no when they really mean yes, or that women dress in a certain way to attract men, are among the reasons that some women suffer in silence rather than report the crime committed against them. However, they should be encouraged to have the criminals booked.
Last weekend I was channel-hopping and stumbled on a local production. The main character was a disgusting maniac called 'Razor' his favourite pastime including tossing down rum and having sex with his wife and helper. The other member of the cast, an imbecile gardener, was also having sex with both women. This cheap piece of theatre, which was promoting promiscuity, idleness and poor family life, was being pitched at 2 in the afternoon. Are our taxi men watching shows like these? Are our little girls viewing such shows? I wonder.
Dennie Quill is a veteran journalist who can be reached at denniequill@hotmail.com.
