Director of Lifeline Ministries, Tina Alexander, is expressing concern that only a small percentage of sexual abuse cases are being heard in the courts in Dominica.
She told Dominica News Online that many cases of abuse are received but very few go through the court system.
“We have 100 police reports a year and 200 welfare reports and only about 10 successful prosecutions,” she stated.
Furthermore, she said the court system in Dominica favors the defendant and victims are being traumatized.
“Our court system is biased in favor of the defendant,” she noted. “We need a family court as the current system is itself traumatizing to the victim,” she added.
She said also that the exploitation of the island’s children and women, especially those living in shelters following Hurricane Maria, should stop.
She pointed out that people with power and responsibility need to take a stand and not exploit the needs of the vulnerable.
“It is important that no benefits are exchanged for sexual favors and all relief and welfare should be distributed on a needs basis by professionals in a transparent and fair way,” she explained.
She said that there are problems with people staying at unfamiliar homes and in shelters or tents which don’t have proper arrangements for privacy.
“There are people who are really struggling and feel that they have no hope of finding themselves legitimately entitled to help so they turn to the age-old practice of making bum,” Alexander explained.
While admitting that children and youth are receiving more help with school expenses this year than ever before, Alexander said that there are still situations where mothers are compromised and have even facilitated their girls to provide sexual services.
“Often the children know that the family is dependent on the man providing the income and so they do not want to make a report,” Alexander explained.
How can you be making comments about a system that you are part of? You support them that use their power to take advantage of poor people’s children. Thanks for mentioning all the ills. It is broken and you want to take credit for fixing it.
Humans by nature are sexual brings. Having said that, we can’t go around molesting the underage or sexually exploiting women who are in vulnerable positions. The police, the court and the welfare system have all failed miserably in bringing justice and relief to the sexually abused. What is very disconcerting also is that most of our songs (soca and dancehall in particular) are very suggestive and outright vulgar. Yet, our ears are bombarded with the lewd lyrics of these songs everyday and everywhere. I see no concerted nor sustained effort to protect the youth and the vulnerable from the exploits of these sexual predators out there waiting for the slightest chance to pounce on susceptible children and women. Those in power either don’t care and choose to turn a blind eye. What a shameful society we inhabit. What an awful society we will leave for generations yet unborn.
While it is true that the things you mentioned do happens, there are times that the police put files together for cases to be held at court when the day of court comes, the first person’s to bark off are the victims, now what the police can do, their hands are tied. Monies are being accepted by victims or parents of these victims
I had an experience where I put a file together in the out District , when the day of court came, the accused was called, he appeared then the victim was called and she actually said nothing, the magistrate had no choice than to throw out the case, this was a case where the victim claimed that he was her boyfriend. This piced off the mother
Whether it be raising the age of consent or persecuting the perpetrator, we are apt to lose sight of the powerful force of sexual attraction.
Just as with love: the heart has its reasons, with sex we are fighting against nature’s program for procreation.
I am not encouraging or defending, but merely pointing out the dilemma that we are up against.
As in Leigh Hunt’s poem:
Stolen sweets are always sweeter,
Stolen kisses much completer…
Really! What about self control and respect for others. Following your argument if we see something that we want, we should just take it regardless, because we must follow our ‘urge’. May The Almighty protect our children from all PERVERTS. Amen!
Are boys and men not abused too? This article is one sided. Condemn the abuse.
de parent they should report
Who is Tina Alexander? Where is she from? Is she a native or adopted Dominican? What’s her story? Dno we the readers would like some back ground information. Before anybody try pushing that agenda on our shores we want to know who they are and what’s the motive. We have or problems yes but these days we have to be very careful about these people coming out from all corners pushing all these agendas. Get mad I don’t much care I want to know who she is please.
I have a question…..F!# me too …..Who are you ?.. Do you even know who you are?
Its not who the person is but what song they are singing, Every one is entitled to their point of view. You are free to agree or disagree.
Regardless of her motive(s) her input is very relevant. The problem of sex abuse is getting rampant and out of control. Every one is at risk. It is time for action to stop it.
It’s her shores you xenophobic …. D.a is her home. The only native Dominicans are the kalinagos so hold your ***. I so hate to see comments like that. She’s been living in d.a for at least 20 years now (most likely alot more).
Don’t be a fool. What you asking for is not important. It is a concern that everyone is talking about. Who she is doesn’t make a difference.
ooooh Wow..this is some sour and at the same time scorching comments Tina.
But it is past time the truth of the matter comes out..We’re not a society of mere brutish Animals but can we only depend on the conscience of the Men, I doubt that, given this damning record!!..Some of these men are as just about as much cultured as pigs. The mothers facilitating sexual favors for survival can not be simply looked at in an isolated fashion neither, it all comes back to the Economics of this country.
Dominica has not done a very good job so far in empowering it’s people, there is just too much dependency.