By Keva Lightbourne ~ Guardian Senior Reporter ~ kdl@nasguard.com:
State Minister for Social Services Loretta Butler-Turner said yesterday that unfortunately some of the people the proposed marital rape law was designed to assist were among those individuals who spoke out against it.
"It really was an opportunity for the women of The Bahamas and the people of The Bahamas to support something very progressive to bring further empowerment to our people," the minister told The Nassau Guardian.
"Unfortunately it appears that the people it was going to help the most were equally as vocal against it, and those persons do not wish to see progress," Minister Butler-Turner said.
Her statement came hours before the House of Assembly was prorogued, wiping clean its legislative agenda. Up to press time yesterday Minister Butler-Turner had no idea whether the proposed amendment to the Sexual Offences Act, which would have outlawed marital rape in the country, would be re-introduced to Parliament during the next session.
"It has to definitely be determined by the Government of The Bahamas. That has to be a Cabinet decision. From a personal stand point it is something that I would like to certainly see become law," said Minister Butler-Turner.
Furthermore, she had no idea whether the bill would be placed on the table again for further discussion.
But Butler-Turner said she would continue to push for the bill to become law.
"One of the challenges that I try to overcome each day is certainly bringing greater empowerment to not just women but ensuring people everywhere are on an equal footing. As I sit as vice-president of the American Commission on Women it is imperative that I continue to fight for equality for all persons. So yeah, it is something that I will continue to agitate for," the minister said.
She added that she was encouraged by those who came out in support of the legislation, especially the churches.
I was extremely encouraged by groupings of men, groupings of women but in the end analysis I cannot say that I was ecstatic over the reception we received in certain quarters.
"But there were very, very encouraging signs from important sectors of our society, but even that does not militate against the fact that I do not think we had a unanimously overwhelming clear consensus on the matter," she explained.
The amendment would mean that a spouse could be sentenced to up to life in prison for the rape of a spouse, even on a first offense, as is the case for others convicted of rape. The current Bahamian law permitting forms of marital rape stands in opposition to the United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women. The U.N. has advised that The Bahamas should eliminate the prohibition against spousal rape.
In an earlier interview with The Nassau Guardian, Director of The Crisis Centre Dr. Sandra Dean-Patterson appealed to the government not to let this amendment die.
She said it would be disappointing if the proposed ban is not re-introduced after Parliament is prorogued.
"I would say that the violence in our country must be of such concern and worry to all of us. It is a threat to The Bahamas with this senseless killing that is taking place of men in particular, and in the new year we have to come together as political parties, individuals, civic organizations, trade unions [and] churches to confront violence in all of its manifestations," Dean-Patterson said.
March 24, 2010
thenassauguardian
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Showing posts with label marital rape Bahamas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label marital rape Bahamas. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Amnesty concerned over 'apparent inaction' of the Bahamas towards 2008 report issues
By AVA TURNQUEST:
HUMAN rights group Amnesty International has expressed concern by the "apparent inaction" of the Bahamas government towards any of the issues tabled in the 2008 report published earlier this year.
The report tabled concerns over the death penalty, domestic violence and migrant's rights, and provided suggestions towards restoring the country's commitment to promoting and protecting human rights.
Commenting on the police and security forces, the report stressed: "The lack of an independent body to investigate allegations of ill-treatment involving police officers undermined confidence in due process."
Yesterday, Amnesty International spokesman R. E. Barnes named the allegations surrounding the deaths of Patrick Strachan and excessive force used on Emmanuel McKenzie as two examples of inaction towards the report, as the organisation is unaware of any conclusion to either investigation.
He also criticised Government's refusal to release reports on the Carmichael Road Detention Centre.
Amnesty International calls on Government to:
Repeal all provisions allowing for the death penalty and immediately declare a moratorium on all executions;
Ensure that all complaints of excessive use of force by the security forces are subject to immediate, thorough and independent investigation and, if state agents are charged with misconduct, that their cases are brought to trial in an expeditious manner;
Amend existing legislation to ensure that marital rape is outlawed;
Ensure the full and effective implementation of the Domestic Violence Protection Order Act;
Implement migration policies that protect human rights, including ratifying and implementing the international convention on the protection of the rights of all migrant workers and members of their families.
Mr. Barnes added: "We are concerned first and foremost about human rights, however we always try to allow governments or the appropriate bodies sufficient time to follow proper protocol.
"Our job is simply to observe and note what's occurred. However, it is our fervent hope that a report on the Detention Centre is forthcoming."
December 05, 2009
tribune242
HUMAN rights group Amnesty International has expressed concern by the "apparent inaction" of the Bahamas government towards any of the issues tabled in the 2008 report published earlier this year.
The report tabled concerns over the death penalty, domestic violence and migrant's rights, and provided suggestions towards restoring the country's commitment to promoting and protecting human rights.
Commenting on the police and security forces, the report stressed: "The lack of an independent body to investigate allegations of ill-treatment involving police officers undermined confidence in due process."
Yesterday, Amnesty International spokesman R. E. Barnes named the allegations surrounding the deaths of Patrick Strachan and excessive force used on Emmanuel McKenzie as two examples of inaction towards the report, as the organisation is unaware of any conclusion to either investigation.
He also criticised Government's refusal to release reports on the Carmichael Road Detention Centre.
Amnesty International calls on Government to:
Repeal all provisions allowing for the death penalty and immediately declare a moratorium on all executions;
Ensure that all complaints of excessive use of force by the security forces are subject to immediate, thorough and independent investigation and, if state agents are charged with misconduct, that their cases are brought to trial in an expeditious manner;
Amend existing legislation to ensure that marital rape is outlawed;
Ensure the full and effective implementation of the Domestic Violence Protection Order Act;
Implement migration policies that protect human rights, including ratifying and implementing the international convention on the protection of the rights of all migrant workers and members of their families.
Mr. Barnes added: "We are concerned first and foremost about human rights, however we always try to allow governments or the appropriate bodies sufficient time to follow proper protocol.
"Our job is simply to observe and note what's occurred. However, it is our fervent hope that a report on the Detention Centre is forthcoming."
December 05, 2009
tribune242
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Bahamas: Spotlight on sexual violence
By THEA RUTHERFORD ~ Guardian National Correspondent ~ thea@nasguard.com:
A Bahamas Crisis Centre-hosted symposium on sexual violence held on Wednesday, November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, brought noted panelists together to increase awareness of the burning issue.
Held for a half-day at the C.H. Thompson Memorial Youth Center of Transfiguration Baptist Church, the symposium included presentations from physicians, psychologists, politicians and representatives from both the police sexual offenses unit and the Attorney-General's office.
In addition to remarks from the various stakeholders, students from Expressions of Excellence, the drama group at C.C. Sweeting High School, performed a skit to illustrate the issue.
Her Majesty's Prison superintendent Dr. Elliston Rahming was among the first to address the group, citing alarming international statistics for sexual assault.
One in 33 men and one in six women will be assaulted during their lifetime, Rahming said.
Statistics for the report of incidences of sexual assault were equally dismal, with Rahming noting that 60 percent of cases in the U.S. went unreported. He said that there were no specific numbers for the report of cases in The Bahamas.
"Sexual violence is a very serious problem but again in The Bahamas we see it as a law enforcement problem," said Rahming. "More and more countries are seeing it as a public health problem. When you look at the wide ramifications of violence and sexual abuse, it has any number of attachments — psychological, sociological, healthwise and otherwise, so we agree that we have a problem."
Rahming also shared common myths about the causes of sexual violence and the nature of its perpetrators. "The first is that sexual violence, domestic violence, occurs primarily or typically among poor persons — that is a myth. It runs the gamut straight across the spectrum," said Rahming.
Other myths include the notion that the victim deserves the abuse and that domestic violence is a private matter between husband and wife. Rahming also addressed the "blaming the victim" attitude that questions why the abused person does not leave, noting the psychological complications underlying such circumstances that such reasoning oversimplifies.
"If you have been abused or if you have been sexually victimized, you ought to know that it is not your fault and you have a duty, not an option, to report it," said Rahming. "Thirdly, you're not alone . . . help is available."
Dr. Ada Thompson joined the prison superintendent on the panel of speakers with a talk on the devastating consequences of spousal rape.
"Spousal or marital rape is more common than we know," said Thompson, a medical doctor who is also a minister of the gospel. "I've had some patients who have been raped scores of times by their spouses . . . but because we live in a society where men's rights, in spite of all the declarations we may sign, still seem to take precedence over the woman, then most times he gets away with it."
Weeks after the government's consideration of the proposal to amend the Sexual offenses and Domestic Violence Act in order to ban spousal rape became public, a debate raged in the news headlines between supporters and proponents. Religious leaders on both sides of the debate have been among the most vocal in public discussion of the issue.
Thompson dismissed the claims of those opposed to the still pending ban.
"You have some men of the cloth who are saying that it is not possible to rape a wife, because she is a wife she has given up her right to say no. And of course I challenge that," said Thompson. "She hasn't given up her rights to be a human being and if you violate her rights to being a human being, the right to say no . . . then that is violence and violence of a sexual nature is rape."
Underscoring the importance of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women during the symposium, director of the Crisis Centre, Dr. Sandra Dean Patterson said:
"We thought to recognize [this day] by focusing on the whole issue of sexual violence. Sexual violence is deadly business. Rape is a four letter word that raises fear and terror in many, many women and is the source of emotional devastation and pain for all who are violated. It's the worst invasion of privacy that an individual can experience. It violates your physical body but also your soul and your spirit."
December 1, 2009
thenassauguardian
A Bahamas Crisis Centre-hosted symposium on sexual violence held on Wednesday, November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, brought noted panelists together to increase awareness of the burning issue.
Held for a half-day at the C.H. Thompson Memorial Youth Center of Transfiguration Baptist Church, the symposium included presentations from physicians, psychologists, politicians and representatives from both the police sexual offenses unit and the Attorney-General's office.
In addition to remarks from the various stakeholders, students from Expressions of Excellence, the drama group at C.C. Sweeting High School, performed a skit to illustrate the issue.
Her Majesty's Prison superintendent Dr. Elliston Rahming was among the first to address the group, citing alarming international statistics for sexual assault.
One in 33 men and one in six women will be assaulted during their lifetime, Rahming said.
Statistics for the report of incidences of sexual assault were equally dismal, with Rahming noting that 60 percent of cases in the U.S. went unreported. He said that there were no specific numbers for the report of cases in The Bahamas.
"Sexual violence is a very serious problem but again in The Bahamas we see it as a law enforcement problem," said Rahming. "More and more countries are seeing it as a public health problem. When you look at the wide ramifications of violence and sexual abuse, it has any number of attachments — psychological, sociological, healthwise and otherwise, so we agree that we have a problem."
Rahming also shared common myths about the causes of sexual violence and the nature of its perpetrators. "The first is that sexual violence, domestic violence, occurs primarily or typically among poor persons — that is a myth. It runs the gamut straight across the spectrum," said Rahming.
Other myths include the notion that the victim deserves the abuse and that domestic violence is a private matter between husband and wife. Rahming also addressed the "blaming the victim" attitude that questions why the abused person does not leave, noting the psychological complications underlying such circumstances that such reasoning oversimplifies.
"If you have been abused or if you have been sexually victimized, you ought to know that it is not your fault and you have a duty, not an option, to report it," said Rahming. "Thirdly, you're not alone . . . help is available."
Dr. Ada Thompson joined the prison superintendent on the panel of speakers with a talk on the devastating consequences of spousal rape.
"Spousal or marital rape is more common than we know," said Thompson, a medical doctor who is also a minister of the gospel. "I've had some patients who have been raped scores of times by their spouses . . . but because we live in a society where men's rights, in spite of all the declarations we may sign, still seem to take precedence over the woman, then most times he gets away with it."
Weeks after the government's consideration of the proposal to amend the Sexual offenses and Domestic Violence Act in order to ban spousal rape became public, a debate raged in the news headlines between supporters and proponents. Religious leaders on both sides of the debate have been among the most vocal in public discussion of the issue.
Thompson dismissed the claims of those opposed to the still pending ban.
"You have some men of the cloth who are saying that it is not possible to rape a wife, because she is a wife she has given up her right to say no. And of course I challenge that," said Thompson. "She hasn't given up her rights to be a human being and if you violate her rights to being a human being, the right to say no . . . then that is violence and violence of a sexual nature is rape."
Underscoring the importance of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women during the symposium, director of the Crisis Centre, Dr. Sandra Dean Patterson said:
"We thought to recognize [this day] by focusing on the whole issue of sexual violence. Sexual violence is deadly business. Rape is a four letter word that raises fear and terror in many, many women and is the source of emotional devastation and pain for all who are violated. It's the worst invasion of privacy that an individual can experience. It violates your physical body but also your soul and your spirit."
December 1, 2009
thenassauguardian
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