The Tribune

By JADE RUSSELL

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

ACTIVISTS have called for greater protection of women against sexual violence following three incidents of sexual assault reported over the weekend.

According to police, one of the incidents took place on the island of Andros and the others on New Providence.

On Friday, a 27-year-old Andros woman reported she was awakened by a man she knew, who forced entry into her home and sexually assaulted her.

That same day, a 37-year-old New Providence woman said a man she knew came to her home uninvited and while there, he attempted to sexually assault her, police said.

In a third incident, two 20-year-old New Providence women reported that a masked gunman forced entry into their home on Saturday and sexually assaulted them. The suspect then fled the area on foot in an unknown direction.

 When contacted for comment on the sexual assault reports, Equality Bahamas Director Alicia Wallace yesterday expressed her dismay on the treatment of women.

 “Women live with the perpetual fear of rape,” she said. “We are constantly assessing our environments and, at the encouragement of others, including law enforcement, making our worlds smaller in the effort to avoid being raped.

 “The reality is that we are not at fault and we do not put ourselves at risk. We are living in a world, and a country, where rape culture has become the norm.”

 Ms Wallace highlighted how most rape incidents are perpetrated by men known to the women being violated. She said that women are not fully protected in their own relationships, homes, and that the ongoing conversation of marital rape has proven that.

 When asked what could be done to address the issue of sexual violence in the country, Ms Wallace said: “Addressing the issue of sexual violence requires compliance with international mechanisms, including CEDAW, mandatory comprehensive sexuality education in all schools, public campaigns on gender equality and women’s rights, ongoing training for law enforcement and all professions that come into contact with survivors.”

 Ms Wallace said it is not enough to be “saddened” or “horrified” by the reports of sexual violence, but rather there needs to be work done to make an active change.

  “We all have the responsibility to talk to the men and boys in our lives about sexual violence and to make it clear that not only does no mean ‘no’, but only yes means ‘yes’, and consent is absolutely mandatory.”

 She added that the Global 16 Days campaign will begin on Friday, with the International Day of Elimination of Violence Against Women, and Equality Bahamas has a series of events lined up, focused on the theme “Let’s End Femicide.”

 For her part, Prodesta Moore, president and founder of Women United, told The Tribune yesterday that policymakers need to take sexual violence against women seriously.

 “I don’t think that we’re taking it seriously enough and this is why those rapists and perpetrators are out there. I’m not surprised that they are people that these women are familiar with.”

 She added: “Right now, I’m saying we as women need to be extra vigilant, extra careful, even with our interaction with men. Because it is so unfortunate that men get the wrong meaning behind saying good morning, or even extending a smile at them.”

 Ms Moore pointed out the importance of having a sexual offenders register so that convicted assailants would be known to the community.

 She said that sexual offenders are infiltrating the communities while people in these areas have no knowledge of their criminal past.

 “We have rapists in the communities that are walking among us and come into our communities and befriending our women. And we have no idea that they are known sexual offenders. So, having the sexual offenders register is key for us to know exactly who these people are.”

 Ms Moore said she holds lawmakers accountable to make stiffer penalties and laws that protect women.