Minister hints at possible changes to Sexual Offences Act

Minister Gloria Shillingford

Amendments could soon be made to the country’s Sexual Offences Act.

These revelations were made by Dominica’s Social Services Minister Gloria Shillingford.

Her remark comes on the heels of a recent United Nations Children Fund study which indicated that there is an increase in the number of sexual abuse cases in Dominica.

Shillingford told a consultation at the Holy Redeemer Retreat House in Egleston this morning that her ministry has suggested that considerations be given for an amendment to the Sexual Offences Act.

According to Shillingford, who is also the Gender Affairs minister, the act will “deal with persons who pervert the course of justice by making out-of-court settlements in cases of child abuse,” she said.

She said she is also mindful of members of society who question the severity of the law in terms of penalties which can be imposed by the court.

But according to Shillingford, the Sexual Offences Act Chapter 1 of 1998 contains severe penalties for persons who sexually abuse children.

“Incest carries a maximum of 25 years if committed by an adult with a person under 14 years of age. In cases of sexual intercourse with a person between14-16 a maximum prison term of 14 years may be imposed. The imposition of such prison term rests with those who administer justice in our courts,” Shillingford said.

She said the vigilance of parents and society is essential to the level of protection for children.

Shillingford also advised parents to be on their guard since those they trust can become betrayers.

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15 Comments

  1. Reduce age of consent now!!
    September 7, 2010

    My people, there is nothing wrong with a girl at 13 and 14 having sex. It’s natural, they have urges whether it’s with a big man or someone their age. While they go to school, allow them to practice temporary marriage. At least the couple have each other to address their sexual urges whilst going to school or else these young women will rendez-vous with boys at the library or in secluded places. We have to be real as parents and stop the hypocrisy in Dominica.

    The age of consent should be lowered to the age of 12 as long as she has reached the age of puberty. These young women are oppressed in this society. I strongly believe the same way they can analyze information, they can lie and are very much aware of what’s going on. They can consent to sex.

    Our parents are oppressing their little girls. They want someone to make love to them, they want to channel their desires in a positive way. Sixteen as the age of consent is ridiculously too high. It is absurd. Even if one increases the sentences or increases the age, ‘under age’ sex will occur.

    Additionally, rape is very low in places like Holland because it’s easy to get sex there. Our Dominican women are too uptight when comes to sex, that’s why all this is happening as well. Our ‘adults’ are too uptight, always playing games to ‘give it up.’ Too many Dominican women are not satisfying their men adequately that’s why they are going after Spanish.

    In short, reduce the age of consent and stop being difficult in giving up the sex. Give it up! More availability for sex, less problems in society. However, it should be done within the boundaries of temporary and permanent marriages.

    Thank you

    • roots/da
      April 1, 2014

      Reduce age ?, ridiculous , well total chaos , if ever this is implemented . Have you considered what kind of society , you’re setting up? ; the increase of sexual abuse , pornography, and its material , teenage pregnancies , multiple abortions , rape , incest ; mind you triple times to what is now present . I believe by all reports , that the educational system is very good , but will be affected not for the better , but , for the worse . Neither should you forget , the spread of sexual diseases , some deadly . In Holland? , you won’t know , nor do I know the full scope of it , but many young students are forced into prostitution , to keep up with their boarding and school payments , do you want that for DA?

    • May 22, 2015

      You are a child of your father the devil.

      Jesus said if you cause a little child to stumble it would be better for you to have a mill stone hanged around your neck and be cast into the sea than to have to face God in the day of judgment.

      Sick lustful men will love your comment because it approves their wicked lifestyle. But the Bible says ”…. they that do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9,10.)

      Nevertheless there is good news. God loves you. Christ died on the cross to pay the penalty for your sins.
      (Romans 5:6-8) God raised Him from the dead to show that He accepted His sacrificial death as payment for your sins. If you will believe in Him (John 3:16) and receive Him as your personal Savior you will have
      eternal life! (1 John 5:11,12). Your sins will be washed away. (1 John 1:7) and you will have a whole new beginning! (2 Corinthians 5:17)

      Sincerely, Rev. Donald Hill. International Evangelist.

  2. Nathaniel Peltier
    July 2, 2010
  3. BIGNASA
    July 1, 2010

    tahnks just post it then.

  4. BIGNASA
    July 1, 2010

    If Eddie and this minister were to cross what would happen? Both are from the cousin territory?
    Lucky she is DLP & he is UWP If she crosses the floor?Like doodoo did !lol!There were many fight between the Leader the deputy and a few othersover doodoo.I hear dodoo divorce the carpenter and flinging it in the US.

  5. jahlive, redemption soon come
    July 1, 2010

    There should be no range of sentences… just a fixed term, 25 years, or 30 years or something, one punishment for all…….That way, you do the crime, no matter who you are, you will pay the time,. Not 6 months because you have a name, and 4 years because you are “no body”

  6. Vanessa B
    July 1, 2010

    TALK SOLUTIONS:
    Start with putting effective reporting systems in place to report these CRIMES

    If the parent does not report it, or does not want to report it (since many parents seem to benefit financially from some of these arrangements) .

    Let us put a system in place to have (others) report such crimes. Cleary a child of 14 pregnant and giving birth, she must be having sex, and with whom??????

    How about doctors, nurses, teachers, guardians, social workers….. That’s a start.

    Any doctor, or medical professional, public or private should report any underage pregnancy to a special task force that works in conjunction with welfare and any other organizations with responsibilities for the welfare of our children. (since parents today just don’t seem to give a damn.)
    They must report it, because BY this time (if we put these things into place), having sex as a minor should be illegal with penalties for the parent and the child and the partner involved, and if the partner involved is an adult, then he or she should be charged with even more severe crimes. RAPE, ASSAULT, INDECENT EXPOSURE, what ever we can find…

    By this I mean: all the underage pregnancies- reported!!!!! All the underage births—- reported. And if the child who is pregnant does not want to reveal the father of the child (perpetrator of the crime) then the parents are held responsible.

    I say this because as a mother, I am responsible for my child’s actions up to that point when she and he become an adults legally, so naturally, I ought to responsible for their actions. I am to put in place the necessary disciplinary measures to make sure my children are raised right, and not engaging in acts that for which there are severe consequences. It’s like doing drugs, we are aware of the consequences, so we don’t want them to do it, it should be the same for sex.

    We have to be active. We spend sooo much time talking about problems and no solutions. if we can stem the “children having children” syndrome, and start making the responsible people pay, maybe in the long run we, or homes, our societies will benefit from it. AIDS is rampant here, and thriving among our young girls and boys why do you think that’s the case?

    While I understand the need to protect the confidentiality between social worker, doctor, nurse and a patient, cases involving minors who are pregnant, cases that prove sexual activity, or cases where minors are infected with STDs, MUST BE REPORTED. Especially if that child is not accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. And, yes, while such actions might prevent these children from seeking medical care and help, it should begin to stem the incidents if they realize there are consequences (severe) for their actions.

    That ought to shake things up. Lets engage in proactive discussion on this, not being selfish and thing LONG TERM. WE have to fix the problems now, IT will require SACRIFICE, COMMITMENT, and in many ways, we have to disrupt the comfort of our lives. We live in perpetual disgrace, yet do nothing about it, in fact we encourage the actions if we benefit from it. Time to be a little less selfish, and more selfless. In a few articles above where the chief welfare officer is concerned… again, all we do is talk about the problems, which we know exist; NOW WE SHOULD TALK SOLUTIONS.
    If my 14-year-old daughter got pregnant, by God she will tell me who or one or both of us is going to jail. Moreover, I can live with that. We can go so far as to make the act of having sex (voluntarily) under the age of consent a crime. That ought to slow them down some, for I know that many of the underage/minors females in Dominica voluntarily have sex in exchange for goods, services or money and generally that with ADULT men, who abuse the system in which there are no repercussions for such indecent and criminal acts.

  7. sokoyan
    July 1, 2010

    jail them wicked men. put them behind bars when they commit such crime especially when comes to children

  8. valda Bruno-Durand
    July 1, 2010

    The minister is a woman and she seems to be gender balanced so therefore she will understand that need to make such changes, however she is a small fish in a big pond, she will try but them BIG MEN and not in size, that like to have SEX with LITTLE GIRLS will block her mark my words. Stop burrying all you head in the sand deal with the damn issues and stop just talking. TALK SHOP TALK SHOP TALK SHOP.

  9. June 30, 2010

    Its tIme to apply the maximum 25 and 14 years. Its there quite a while, but the judges and them afraid to use it.

    When the sentences are so light, the ofenders must conclude in saying they are going up to
    “The rest up” !

  10. Dr. Finger
    June 30, 2010

    Madam minister, please have them amend the law to establish “minimum” sentences. That way, the judges discretion is limited and the accused must serve the minimum sentence required.

    Example: “Anyone convicetd under this section will be required to serve a minimum of 20 yrs but no more than 50 years in Charter’s Hotel”.

    This will prevent some people like those who want to destroy Tiyani from calling for judicial review of sentences or excessive useless appeals. Yes, they know themselves very well.

  11. A Voice
    June 30, 2010

    So how come we eh hearing of those 14 year sentences in them cases that being called in the courts right now?

    What about amending the Act to hold responsible the Judges who give light sentences to offenders who repeat the same offence after being let out of jail?

  12. child
    June 30, 2010

    its the sentencing that make people settle out of court.because if you giving a man 5 years for raping our little girls and the child lost her dignity for life ,some people just rather have that settled for a few thousand of dollars (god have mercy on us )

  13. George Bush
    June 30, 2010

    I am delighted to hear this. The Law was changed in London since 2006. It made touching a more serious offense. I would really appreciate it if we adopt the act in its entirety.

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