Sexual violence cases consistently constitute about half of all criminal cases in the Berbice, Demerara and Essequibo Magisterial Districts. Sexual violence − including the sexual abuse of boys and girls, forced prostitution and trafficking of persons for the purpose of sexual exploitation – are liable to criminal prosecution.
“The Chancellor of the Judiciary, Chief Justice and Chief Magistrate − three women − are in the right place and at the right time to contribute to curbing the surge in sexual violence” said Former President David Granger, during his weekly programme – The Public Interest. He noted that the Chancellor’s opening of three Sexual Offence Courts in the three magisterial districts in 2017 and 2019 under the APNU+AFC Administration helped to increase the rate of convictions in the face of rising levels of violent crime.
The former President noted that young persons (aged 15-24) endure higher rates of every type of sexual violence − including rape, sexual harassment and unwanted sexual touching. Older persons (aged 55-64) reported the least. UNDP reported that 20 per cent of women and girls endured non-partner, sexual abuse in their lifetime and 13 per cent reported enduring such abuse before the age of 18.
Mr. Granger expressed the view that sexual violence can be curbed but noted that conviction rates improve only slowly owing to insufficient ‘rape kits’ at hospitals; inadequate identification of assailants; insubstantial evidence at investigations; inept prosecution; an inefficient (ignorant) jury system at court; indecisive attitudes of victims to giving evidence and the discontinuance of cases by victims.
Mr. Granger noted that education is important because legislation has expanded the range of offences, increased penalties, improved measures to protect victims during police investigations and court proceedings, initiated provisions to track sex convicts and eliminated exemptions from marital rape prosecution. Sexual violence against women and young persons has been difficult to eradicate owing to complicity or concealment of the crime; secrecy and silence of family members who fear the withdrawal of financial support by relatives who are perpetrators and acceptance of monetary compensation to avoid prosecution.
Victims of violence have no choice but to rely on the criminal justice system for the enforcement of the law and the dispensation of justice, the former President concluded. 󠄀
