The President of the Senate, LaShell Adderley, has described as a “slap on the wrist” the four-year jail term imposed on a 40-year-old man who had been convicted on charges of unlawful sexual intercourse with a 14-year-old girl.
“The recent unfortunate and traumatic cases of Baby Bella, Heavenly Terveus, Carissa Culmer, and the 14-year-old child who was impregnated by a man almost three times her senior, only for him to receive a slap-on-the-she told the Senate on Monday.
She said while over the last few years visibility around domestic violence, sexual assault, and incidents of abuse against women and children in the country have significantly increased, there are some victims who choose not to report their abuses for various reasons.
“We must all ask what can be done as a society to help victims feel supported, protected and encouraged to come forward,” she said, proposing changes and stressing that the matter should not be used as a political football.
“Societal laws must reflect societal values. What we value we must protect. The vulnerable in our society from Grand Bahama in the north to Inagua in the south needs to be protected, needs to feel safe and needs to be empowered. The Bellas, Heveanlys, and Carissas all need protection.
“Minors in particular need the strongest form of protection from sexual predators whether or not they consent. The law needs to protect the vulnerable even from themselves. Sexual predators should be locked behind bars for a significant period of time and fully rehabilitated,” she said, adding that there is a need for comprehensive review and reform of sentencing for stiffer penalties that are just and fair, notwithstanding the conduct of a minor or woman.
The senate president said harsher penalties should be given to second-time offenders and a starting point for sentencing guidelines “should be what is the appropriate sentence if the 14-year-old sexual victim is your son, your daughter, your brother, your sister, niece or nephew”.
Opposition Senator Michela Barnett-Ellis in endorsing the senate president’s contribution said the country has “deep-rooted patriarchal gender stereotypes.
“An unfortunate example is the mindset that girls are partly to blame when men have unlawful sexual intercourse with them,” she said, noting that the sentencing practices for sexual offenses in The Bahamas are too lenient and called for a formal sentencing guidelines document.
“Sentencing guidelines are comprehensive documents that provide judges with structured guidance on sentencing. It sets out the factors to be taken into consideration and the sentence discount that should be given.”
She also called for the passing of the Gender-Based Violence Bill and amending the Sexual Offences Act “to state that offenses apply irrespective of the nature of the relationship between the perpetrator and the complainant” to criminalize marital rape in The Bahamas.
“In 1993, we promised to condemn discrimination against women in all forms, agreed to pursue by all appropriate means and without delay a policy of eliminating discrimination against women,” Barnett-Ellis said.
“We have not done enough. We must do better. We deserve a better Bahamas and collectively we can shape a better Bahamas.”
The 40-year-old accused was handed a four-year jail term following a plea deal for unlawful sexual intercourse with a 14-year-old girl who was also pregnant. On completion of his prison term, the convicted man will be placed on probation for three years. But the sentence prompted outcry from some people that it was too lenient.
Deputy Prime Minister, Chester Cooper, said the age of consent should be raised to 18 to “further protect minors”.
Minister of Social Services and Development, Obie Wilchcombe, said the Office of the Attorney General is looking to address “inconsistencies” in law regarding the age of consent with legislation expected to change later this year.
CMC/
