The Jamaica Gleaner is reporting that over 50 women in Jamaica have reported being raped over the past two years by men posing as taxi drivers.
Head of the Centre for Investigation of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse (CISOCA) of Jamaica, Charmine Shand has revealed that the victims have reported being blindfolded and raped before being taken to an ATM to withdraw money for their attackers after which they are dropped off at strange locations.
According to Shand, it is believed that the act is being committed by a specific group of men that are working in cahoots with each other.
There were 27 such cases reported in 2016 and another 16 in 2017. Since the start of this year, CISOCA has received at least nine reports fitting the same pattern. Five of these rapes took place in St Catherine South, which covers Portmore, two were in the Corporate Area and another two in St James.
Shand noted that the abductions take place both at night and day and the victims’ phones are always confiscated. Most of the victims are between the ages of 14 and 24.
Several rape suspects, including two serial rapists, have been arrested in recent times.
