By Kurt Campbell
[www.inewsguyana.com] – Some 50 females have been brutally raped already for 2014, according to ‘A’ Division Commander, Clifton Hicken, who has cautioned women not to dress in a manner that encourages this illegal act that has claimed the lives of a few victims.
Hicken told reporters this morning, Monday, November 17 that there has been a spiraling increase in rape for this year when compared to last year [2013] where 38 cases were recorded.
Last month alone, 11 persons were raped; representing a 31% increase when compared to the statistics for 2013.
The ‘A’ Division Commander says the issue is now on the “front burner” of issues to be addressed in his division.
He said the police are currently working with the Ministry of Education and Human Services along with other Non – Governmental Organizations (NGOs) to ensure that these cases are not only solved but prevented from happening.
On the note of prevention, the Commander urged women and girls to always dress in a manner that is “morally acceptable.”
“While we try to prevent somebody from committing the offence we must ensure that we do not create an atmosphere for it to happen,” he said; adding that “and that is why we advocate for young females within a certain age group who are vulnerable, between 13 – 18, to always embrace an attire that is accepted morally.”
However, the issue of the way women dress is not a new one and there have been many arguments against it by several experts who share the view that men do not have the right to rape someone just by the way they are dressed.
Only last month, Opposition Leader David Granger expressed alarm at the rising rate of violent crimes in Guyana; observing that data in relation to rape and other deaths are not usually made available.
He criticized the Guyana Police Force (GPF) in this regard. The GPF has been consistent in disseminating monthly reports on serious and other crimes and traffic offenses in the country but have failed to reveal statistics in relation to suicide and rape.
The Opposition Leader believes journalists must also apply pressure on the Force to ensure that such information is fed to the populace.
Dear Mr. Joel Chase,
Allow for a different angle to be used, because this [crime preventative] approach being dealt with will NOT address the perpetrator’s actions, it just sympathizes and justifies it for them! That Sir, is why it is argued that the Commanders remarks could have been better directed. Here’s how:
Most men (and or women) do NOT rape!
Most men (and/or women) know how to have consensual sex.
And most men know how to control themselves.
Why do you men instead wish GPF would bring up as proper examples:
1. Males need to be better role models
2. Males need to value human life and not violate others
3. Males need to respect themselves
4. Males need to respect females
5. Encourage men to dress and behave less provocatively
MOST rapes are carried out by someone known to the victim. When a child, elderly person or a person of the same sex is violated, the rapist really doesn’t think it is about the way their victim(s) dress?
Another good reason why this simple 5-pointer is what the Commander could have highlighted?
Really, the issue is RAPE as a violent crime. It is about overpowering another and THIS is the message that should be conveyed.
The man is right in what he is saying. Why would a woman dress in that way except she wanted a man to look on her and lust after her and why would anyone justify a woman dressing that way except they liked the same. His comments do not justify the raping of woman. He is not wrong to say such.
Guyana has to be more accommadative to change.The world is not marking time.The masses need to be educated,need programs starting first with govt media to run programs where by our menfolk can recognize the wrongs of not only rape but basically taking what is not theirs’.Get the churches involve,schools,and,finally,if that does not wrk,come up with the harshest of punishment.eg:castration once found guilty..
Food for thought ‘Commander” it doesn’t matter what a woman wears, she will be raped and violated if the predator decides to commit the heinous act of rape that day….
Quit blaming the victims. It is never the persons fault whose has been raped, either male or female. There is no excuse for rape ever! It’s wrong, immoral and criminal. No ifs ands or buts.
This police officer needs to be re educated.
U have to wonder how many of is subordinates r probably rapes in A division that mrs Hicken cover up for……
This man is an idiot. It’s really true ‘book sense without common sense makes no sense at all’
I’m disappointed but not surprised. Lacking sufficient education men who can’t imagine the mind of a rapist believe that RAPE is an acting-out of sexual attraction, rather than one of power.
On the other hand, I applaud the responders here. It’s good to know that not everyone is ignorant on this issue.
Clearly the commander is a part of the system oppressing women in Guyana. He advocates rape being used as a tool to control the way women dress and act in public, and uses violence against women as a tool of oppression to keep women down. Discrimination against women and the acts of violence that express it are a human rights violation. The discrimination is clear in the fact the same standards are not held for men. When the commander wears short pants on his days off I wonder if he will be expected to be raped, and then for the rapists to be excused because of their behaviour because of his dress.
Many a woman in Iran and other Arab nations has been abused, raped and found guilty of being caused to be raped even with their strick dress code etc…so this top cop has more to say that hasn’t been said and explained for this ridiculous statement, which will only make victims feel more uncomfortable about their unfortunate circumstances coupled with the doubt about whether to even report the abuse. Foolhardy statement indeed!
andrews liver salt u r more like pat salt blog molestor pnc troll. hu needs your support..pnc done twist your mouth
Ignorance in the Guyana Foolice Farce knows no bounds.. Hicken is beyond clueless and clearly unfit to provide justice to Guyanese men, women, and children. He needs to RESIGN now.
Wow! What a first class ignorant fool.
Mr Hicken this country is not Iran
Wow, all I can say is wow! Like dressing down is going to stop a rapist. Rape is not about sex, its about power over a weaker person. And it should have roughly the same sentence as a murder. Life in prison.
I am going to give you all the support on this, women must dress how they feel, and the police has failed the nation in many ways ,
Hicken think he is Kim Un of North Korea! What’s worng this guy, this country stil has backward thinkers. Leave the people alone, only under the PNC people made clothes from empty Flour bags. Let the ladies dress how they want and let the men keep thier eyes on them and be respectful.
Commander of ‘A’ Division, Clifton Hicken.
u have to wonder how men like this become law enforcers who are clueless..
does a woman not have the rights to dress they way she is comfortable with?
Its not like they are walking the streets naked..
the law is no man have no right to touch a woman once she dressed they way she is dressed.
your job after rape is reported to to investigate rape…if no head way..then investigate those police parasites you have on the police force taking bribes to turn a blind eye to almost all lawlessness…sick sick sick..
u should state all the cases of rape where it occurred and by whom..
let the public see if its women’s dress code thats causing them to be raped…
NO…Its not…Its the law…Those that are hired to protect citizens are sick…They take money for almost everything..How come its not their female loved ones not raped?
In any other country a police with this high rank would be asked to resign or would be forced to resign for making such chauvinist and sexist comment.
Only in Guyana we tolerate such insensitive comments and behaviour from high ranking officials and they are praised for a job well done.
We see it with Anil Nandall, Ashni Singh, Juan Edghill etc. and this is only this year.