THE EDITOR, Sir:
THE JAMAICA Constabulary Force (JCF) has been all too familiar with the sentiment of their inability to serve and protect taxpayers of this country for far too long now.
Ever so often they get a new fleet of bikes or cars and demand pay increases but are they deserved?
Imagine the shock and horror of being pounced upon in the wee hours of the morning, robbed then being stripped of your dignity as a woman.
Well that happened on Thursday morning (April 7) to someone very dear to me robbed, beaten and then raped by undesirable hoodlums.
MORE DAMAGE
The story doesn't end there as the police who are sworn 'to serve and protect' did more damage to the victim.
Envisage calling 119 and being told by a female corporal that the so-called 'here to serve and protect force' would not be able to arrive on the scene until daylight.
So you do the necessary and make your way to the hospital only to be told that no doctor could assist until a member of the JCF was present for fear of tampering with evidence.
This ordeal is, therefore, prolonged for six gruelling hours because the people who are here to serve and protect us were unwilling to come to the aid of a woman in distress.
Supportive friends and family then tried to combat the problem by calling various persons to assist with the reception of medical care for the victim.
The revelation then came full circle as the support team encountered immense insensitivity from female members of the force.
We uncovered the lack of accountability, lack of training and lack of compassion for one's fellow country woman.
I never in a million years knew that the JCF female cohort could be so uncooperative and tactless.
One female corporal had the gall to say that 'she (the victim) was not very cooperative'.
Answer me this, how on God's earth can a woman be 'cooperative after being raped by three men in what she regards as the comfort of her home, Corporal?
NEITHER TRAINED NOR EQUIPPED
This incident highlighted that the JCF is neither trained nor equipped to come to the assistance of rape victims at a time when they need their help most.
Her plight was further compounded by the closure of the Rape Unit at 10:00 p.m.
Certainly not the first case but let me assure you that I, Nadia Black, do hereby vow this day that I will use everything in my power to make this the last.
I am pleading with the relevant authorities Lucius Thomas, Dr. Peter Phillips, Minister John Junor, Minister Portia Simpson and the powerful women in this country to join me as 'we play our part in the advancement of the whole human race'.
I am, etc.,
NADIA BLACK
changejamaica@yahoo.com
