By Jomo Paul
![Junior Minister of Social Protection Simona Broomes [iNews Photo]](https://i0.wp.com/www.inewsguyana.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/IMG_8183.jpg)
The Ministry is also looking to make the offence a non bail-able one.
In April, the Guyana Police Force released statistics which indicated an alarming 62% increase in the amount of rape crimes when compared to the first three months in 2014.
Then at the end of May 2015, the Guyana Police Force recorded a 10% increase in serious crimes in comparison to the same period in 2014. Rape is among the serious crimes policed by the Force.
It should be noted that while these figures are alarming, most rape cases go unreported because of the stigma and discrimination attached to it in Guyana’s society.
The Sexual Offences Act was passed in the National Assembly in 2010; however since then there has been no real implementation of the Act that would give victims the justice they need.
Junior Minister of Social Protection, Simona Broomes during an exclusive interview with iNews, expressed her disgust with the scourge while promising a more frontal approach to the issue in Guyana’s society.
Pointing to the implementation of the Act, Broomes made it clear that “these are some of the things that have to be done, it has to be done,” contending that the Ministry will step up its efforts in this regard.
“Rape is nothing that would be overlooked under this administration,” Broomes told iNews. She also pointed out the clear and present circumvention of the law when parents/guardians choose to settle such matters outside of the courts, hence the alleged rapist walks scotch free.
“We have to move to a process where the State takes the matter to the court and not the victim. So that we will say to these girls who are being raped and these women with domestic violence and all of that – listen you belong to the State; you are our responsibility – we take it out of the hand of the parent,” said the Junior Social Protection Minister.
“This is something I think we have to look at closely as a government…rape should not be a bail – able offence. It damages that child for life…I think this whole issue of rape has been such a gray area, it has to be given careful thought,” the Minister added.
The Guyanese people are the responsibility of the Government of the land, but they are not owned by the Government. The people are subject to the laws of the land and the law must be enforced.
Crime against the people must be responded to, with the punishment matching the crime. Crime against minors should carry very severe punishment.
Crime against persons practicing imoral behavior should be dealt with by the laws of the land.
The laws of the land should continue to follow the laws of our creator and not fall into the category of being deviant like the rapist.
Before we go off on an emotional bent, perhaps we should understand what bail is. Just saying.
Rape of an adult is bad enough, but when I hear of a child being raped, I get very, very, very angry. I go along with Minister Hon. Simona Broomes.
In most countries rape is an indictable offense. A category of crimes that can have a particularly significant effect on a persons life are indictable offenses.
Well Oliver, with all due respect to your comments I don’t think in a rape case it’s “presumed innocent until proven guilty” since most rape victims are able to identify their attackers, secondly I agree with your point of some women who might want to make false accusations. Rape is a serious offence and a traumatic one at that so I really say hats off to the Minister (No Bail) If you think about it putting them out on bail they will probably go it again.
Yep I agree, it should not be a bailable offence!
Totally agree.
in as much as i do not support rape,i think it would be wrong to deny somebody bail,the law is clear that every suspect is regarded innocent until proven guilty but an appropriate court of law.second i would like to state that the law is for everybody not women alone,the minister should tell us how she plans to protect men from women who seek to use this laws to attack their male folks,i strongly recommend that any woman who falsely accuses any man of rape should be sent to jail for the same length of time somebody convicted of rape would serve