The Tribune

By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

THE acting director of public prosecutions has come under fire after telling a reporter the country has a “generation of highly sexualised young people” who sometimes “engage in risky behaviours”.

Franklyn Williams made the remarks yesterday when he was asked to comment about a man’s plea deal for unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl. After his comments circulated on Twitter, there were calls for him to resign from activist Alicia Wallace. His remarks were also condemned by Free National Movement Senator Michaela Barnett Ellis.

According to a report from a local daily this week, a 40-year-old man who impregnated a 14-year-old girl was sentenced to four years in prison as part of a plea deal. After he serves his time, he will be on probation for three years.

 The man’s sentence prompted public criticism, with many observers thinking it was too lenient.

 When contacted about the case, Mr Williams told a reporter yesterday: “We have a generation of highly sexualised young people, whether through media or association, and who because of parental inattention, lack of parental oversight and in some cases, tacit encouragement and acquiescence, engage in risky behaviours. The facts of this case dictated the course taken.”

 When contacted by The Tribune and asked about the rationale behind the plea deal, Mr Williams confirmed his earlier comments and repeated that it was the facts of the case dictating the course taken.

 “I’m saying to you that the facts of the case dictated the course that was taken and I think the facts were well reported. The young lady engaged with the person on Facebook and their interaction followed. I believe those facts were reported.”

 Many have accused Mr Williams of engaging in victim blaming, but he thought otherwise.

 “I said nothing about the victim,” he told The Tribune. “I said absolutely nothing about the young lady.”

 He added: “I was speaking in general terms and the only comment I made with reference to the particular case was the last statement made. I was speaking in general terms—those are facts.”

 However his words caused outrage.

 Asked about this backlash and calls for him to resign, Mr Williams replied: “I have no comment on that. I’m not responsible for what people think. I stated a fact and the fact is as I stated through the media and through association you have young people who are being sexualised.”

 Weighing in on the matter, Senator Barnett Ellis posted on Facebook: “Clearly he (Mr Williams) lacks the discernment and empathy needed for the post of DPP. It’s no surprise that victims of sexual crimes are reluctant to come forward when even the DPP appears to be blaming the victim.”

 Ms Wallace, Equality Bahamas director, who spoke at a Rotary Club meeting yesterday, thinks Mr Williams should resign.

 “There was a news story yesterday about someone, a 40-year-old man, who got a plea — I think four years for the rape of a 14-year-old. There’s all this argument about whether or not it’s rape because the girl apparently skipped school and she knew what she was doing and all of this, but the law also says that you have to be a 16-year-old to consent and a 14-year-old is a child,” Ms Wallace said.

 “This girl is not responsible for what she did. This man is responsible for the decisions that he’s made and we have to look at the power dynamic involved as well between genders and between people of completely different ages - a minor and someone who is well beyond the age of majority,” she said.

 She further criticised Mr Williams’ remarks saying it was an example of rape culture.

 “This is just a form of victim blaming. This is another form of structural violence. This is a state actor saying we’re not going to use the law to the full degree because we’re going to blame this victim for what happened to her. Not only that but we’re also going to blame her for her parents and anyone else around her for the thing that one person did and this is the perpetuation and it’s an example of rape culture.

 “One of the symptoms of rape culture is victim blaming—finding some reason that the thing that happened to a person happened because of some moral failing of theirs or something they did wrong. The comment by the director of public prosecutions, it’s really unacceptable, it’s really absurd and it’s really indicative of a lack of gender sensitivity and a lack of technical knowledge of the issues and the law.

 “It really shows a disdain not only for women but for girls and girls are particularly in situations of vulnerability. When we talk about marital rape people say well grown women can walk away and children can’t. That’s also debatable, but we know that girls are more vulnerable and they need to be protected and part of that protection is using the law....”