The Tribune

WOMEN United, a women’s advocacy group, said allegations that politicians and the police disregarded Peter Nygard’s “unsavoury practices” can’t be ignored.

The group’s statement yesterday came after Nygard was convicted earlier this month in Canada of sexual assault.

After the verdict, Kai Bickle, Nygard’s son, told reporters most of the abuse women received happened in The Bahamas. He claimed police brought escaped women back to Nygard’s property, where they were assaulted. He said his father used “jurisdictional loopholes” to avoid accountability here.

“It is alleged that many women found themselves unwittingly lured into attending events at Nygard Cay, only to become victims of trafficking facilitated by our own compatriots,” Women United noted yesterday. “The tragedy lies in how some sought opportunities, unaware that these situations would turn out to be non-consensual.

“This grave situation demands introspection about our culture and societal norms. We must question why individuals like Nygard felt empowered to perpetrate such atrocities behind closed doors, assured that he wouldn’t face scrutiny or arrest. It’s an alarming reflection on our collective values that allowed such exploitation to thrive unchecked and to this day remains unchecked. The majority of his crimes allegedly happened here in The Bahamas and yet no charges have been laid against him here and we have therefore made no extradition request to try him here to make him defend the allegations that have been made against him.

“Women United firmly believe that change begins with acknowledging these unsettling truths and actively working towards a culture that respects and safeguards the rights of all individuals, especially women. We call upon all members of society to join us in this crucial conversation and take decisive actions to prevent such heinous acts from ever occurring again.

The group said: “We cannot ignore the uncomfortable fact that there are allegations that politicians and the police turned a blind eye to the unsavoury practices that were occurring. This laissez-faire attitude towards the mistreatment of women in our country must change. It perpetuates a culture where women are seen as second-class citizens and where they continue to be abused as their abusers feel that they will not be called upon to answer for their crimes.”