The Editor, Sir:

After 11 years of lobbying with the support of other non-governmental organisations, the members of Woman Inc. are pleased with the tabling by the Minister of Justice of the Amendments to the Offences Against the Persons Acts and the Incest (Punishment) Act.

These amendments are just some of the areas of reform which have been proposed collectively by various women's groups as it relates to the sexual offences being perpetuated against women and girls in our society. It is expected that the Government will expedite the convening of the Joint Select Committee so that various interest groups will be able to join in the debate to ensure the speedy passing into law of the amendments to these two important pieces of legislation.

Public outcry

The writing has been on the wall and it is unfortunate that it took the television broadcast of an incident of sexual abuse, and the subsequent public outcry, to spur the government to retable the bills. While we laud the government for bringing the amendments we now challenge everyone to help us ensure that these bills do not slip once more into oblivion.

The members of Woman Inc. are committed to continuing the work of providing the support services of the Crisis Centre and Shelter. We now challenge everyone to adopt a 'zero tolerance' approach to all forms of physical and sexual violence, and encourage abused women and girls, whether uptown, downtown, across town, in rural or urban areas, to 'break the silence' and seek help.

I am, etc.,

JOYCE HEWETT

President

Woman Inc.