The sexual grooming of a minor may become illegal on the books in Dominica as the matter has been recommended in a draft legislation to the government by a committee set up to review the Sexual Offenses Act of 1998.
Legal consultant, Ray Harris, who heads the committee, said that provision deals with the grooming of a minor under 16 years for sexual activity.
According to him, anyone under 16 cannot give consent.
He explained the recommendation: “You know when an adult may start having a liaison with a young person be it by e-mail, be it by telephone, encourage them and meeting them somewhere to involve themselves in unlawful sexual activity, because remember a person under 16 cannot consent anyhow. We have now suggested and recommended and drafted a provision dealing with grooming, sexual grooming of a minor who is under 16 years of age.”
He also said the committee recommended voyeurism since this has not been covered under the laws of Dominica in the past.
According to the dictionary, voyeurism is obtaining sexual gratification from observing unsuspecting individuals who are partly undressed, naked, or engaged in sexual acts or in a broader sense the habitual seeking sexual stimulation by visual means.
Harris stated that the committee has recommended the mandatory reporting of suspected abuse of minors by “certain people in certain positions of authority.”
“If a medical person has checked a young lady who is 12 years old and the young lady clearly had sex or is even pregnant, clearly an offense was committed,” he stated.
He noted that after much debate the committee made the recommendation for mandatory reporting vis-à-vis, “certain people in authority, be it teachers, be it people in authority.”
“It is very important because sometimes they are the first people who would be observing abuse is going on and therefore, they could assist the process,” he remarked.
The recommendations and a draft bill have been forwarded to the office of Attorney General and will be sent to parliament for approval which will make them law in Dominica.
Here are some facts for righteous Dominicans:-
1) Mary the mother of Jesus was 12, or 13 when she was found with child;
2) UAE (where we have sold most of our passports) – there is NO legal age of consent. Provided the child is married and this can happen at 1 to 2 years of age or at any time later, sex with an adult is fine. By the way, this is around the same for all of the middle east;
3) In Brazil, children can freely have sex with animals (at any age!!)
4) In Finland, the same
5) Germany, the child can have sex with the animal as long as the animal is not forced to have sex
6) USA – can be legal in some states.
There you have it – we live in a strange world!!
There are 3 dislikes for this post and 1 like.
Does this not tell you a lot about Dominicans who are quite happy that they fellow Dominicans in the UAE can freely and legally have sex with kids as young as 3 years old???
Why are we selling passports/ citizenship to such countries where the name ‘Dominica citizen’ can be associated with child sex???
reccommended, increible it should already have been law long ago, odd is not that public figures have to be arrested to highlight the matter, a matter that up till now was ok. it is a serious issue and must be passed into law,
This stain on Dominica must be erradicated immediately
It’s enforcing the law which is the problem, there are high significant number of cases under 16 that was not investigated and ppl are asking to increase those cases by raising the age of consent? Smh and who decides who can n unable to consent anyways? Most of the same parents had sex even earlier than their own daughters. Some of you are grown adults and can’t even make a proper consent to a bank loan far more for a higher purchase item at courts.
Actually there is a glaring legal error in his presentation. A minor, who has apparently been sexually active to a medical practitioner, is NOT prima facie evidence of a crime. While a minor cannot consent to sexual activity with an adult, there is no penalty for or evidence of a crime, should two minors engage in consenting sexual activity. In effect, though it is not recommended, and it would and should be strongly discouraged, two fifteen year olds can in fact engage in sexual activity with legal impunity. Parents would have to deal with that one.
You talking about sexual gratification by observing.
what law are you going to put in p,ace to have women dress modestly and stop going in public half naked.
some of them deliberately dress tgat way to draw men to them.
Deal with the women and girks too.
Too many half majed women everywhere. Soon will be in church.
Why do you think the word of God says women should dress modestly?
Legal Practice – If you are indeed practicing law or going to law school you have just lost your first argument.
Check the definition of RAPE. A person commits an offence (RAPE) if he intentionally penetrates the vagina, mouth or anus of another person with his penis without that person consent. REMEMBER – a minor under 16 cannot consent! So it does not matter if they are 10 years old a charge of rape can be brought.
The question therefore if the matter of punishment. Are there laws in Dominica to deal with the crime of underage sex between two minors?
Sh done hit the roof now. Only now that clause in the law is discovered
For all of all you who are haillaying Sooooo over the age of consent being raised to 18, the average of the entire world is nuts that, 16 which doesn’t make Dominica any worse off and WILL NOT solve the problem. Society’s attitude toward child abuse and enforcement of existing laws is what contributes to the current climate. In the US, if an investigation is opened into sexual abuse and the victim refuses to cooperate because they cave been coerced by the parants, maybe because of a suspected pay off, then the parents can be dragged before the court to have to respond to that. It is because the offenders feel that their wealth makes them untouchable and the parents are falling in line with that sentiment, that this kind of climate exists. Mind you age of consent was usually set based on a devaluation of women along religiously enshrined social mores. So all the god all you calling for to help, that’s where it all started.
Bla bla bla bla… To me at this point and rate these pedophiles going. They should just raise the age of consent to 18. Hell you can’t even get your license at 16 in dominica. So what is really the age of consent at 16 for????
Even reading the headline of this report is already telling me how ****** this country is. Seem like its been legal to groom a minor all this time. Instead they sit in their offices and their pocket grow fat , those so called ministers especially the AG should amend the laws for dominica in all aspects.
So what about those young girls below 16 that do everything possible to get the man to have interference with them? Some of these teenage girls are not easy you know. Some ckause should be put in the law to sddress that also.
It does not matter what someone that is under the age of consent does to attract a man or woman they are still CHILDREN. Period! Adults MUST stop thinking with the lower parts of their body and put their brain to work.
Always Assertive!
All of this is simple – Let every man have his own wife and every woman her own husband. With this simple law of Yahweh, Elohim of Israel and Creator of all flesh, all this evils and the diseases spread with them will come to an end.
I see we entering some murky waters with this topic. There’s a lot to consider before jumping to create laws. One can be suspicious of an act of sexual grooming but to prove it is another question.
We may say 18 should be the age of consent because at 18 people can work, but what about those who are impaired physically or mentally and depend on another for financial support, do they have a human right to engage in sexual activity or are they legally able to give consent..So there is a lot to consider and everything is not black and white.
Honestly 16 is young to consent to sex because of so many implications that come with being engaged in sex, but again some healthy individuals are still heavily dependent on their parents for example, at ages of 21 and even 30.
Men should be ashamed to be involved in this despicable act. Don’t wait on a Law to do what we know is right.
Voyeurism definitely should be punished and it’s much clearer to Identify.
Brilliant, I love reading this piece. I do however understand fully the term sexual grooming and that should be in our law books at some point. I also agree for the age of consent be raised to 18. Joseph made the point why on Q 95 sometime, and It made sense. It cannot be done in isolation.
This is a very good topic that should be opened for healthy debate
May? Why not Will?
“because remember a person under 16 cannot consent anyhow. ”
Actually they can, you just don’t want them to because it’s written on a piece of paper… At 13 I was smarter than a lot of adults. Consent by definition simply means to agree. Just increase the penalties for child molestation already and stop pumping out air.
Consent simply means to agree???, Are you serious that you wrote this? YOu mean to tell me a child can comprehend an agreement the same you ( I take it yo are over 16) , an adult is able to comprehend. There is first comprehending, understanding, analysis, review, put into perspective, be logical, ability to make informed decision, all themes come into play…you are telling me a child can comprehend this?
Then I have issue with you my friend. What is your capacity for comprehending such sensitive matters as this!?
Can you please advise us, what does El Guapo means? Please take your time to comprehend. Not just translate ……..just let me know how handsome you are!!!
I’m very happy to hear of these changes but here is part of the problem. These people know that the age of consent has been an issue but they pretend that they never heard of it and did not make it part of the amendments. This is why we get thing half done in this place. They need to go back to the drawing board and reconsider it. Was Mrs. Weekes part of that committee? Just asking ……
Age of consent should be 18yrs and not 16yrs smh Dominica really behind time i dont know what am doing in this country nah am so fed up
Thank the uwp for the age of consent being 16, they changed it back in the 90s
If UWP changed it to 16 in the 90’s, there is NO reason why it cannot be changed to 18, when assessment has been done, and the need for that change is glaring. Nothing is in stone, and things can always be changed. We should not blame the past, let’s look at the present and seek to progress in the future. We like to blame others and settle for less.
Umm… Age of consent for Austria, Germany, Portugal and Italy it is 14, and in France, the Czech Republic, Denmark, and Greece it is 15. Spain did have one of the lowest ages of consent on the continent at just 13, but recently agreed to raise this to 16
Source: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk
So what is your point?
I think all these ages of consent down to 12 is manipulation and stress on young girls and boys because of greedy men.
These children should be focussed on education and social development of their whole self.
Let me answer the question for you. YOu are in this country because YOU CANNOT LEAVE!!! You have no money to buy a boat ticket far less a plane ticket. Furthermore, a visa will not be granted to you.
Lol
Well gooo!!! Who keeping you here… GO!!
Hahahaha
They just need to increase the age of consent to 18. A 16 year old is still a baby and cannot make any judgement on their own. They are just now getting off their mother’s milk. At what age can a person start working legally in DA? If it is 18 then the age of consent should be 18. When you can consent to sex you should be able to support yourself financially. If the age at which a person can work legally (not an internship or part-time job as young people do in the US. I mean work legally and pay taxes) is 16 then that should also be looked into. The other point I want to make is about the physical and psychological development of children. When you didn’t know, you didn’t know.
Most of us are now better educated either through systematic education or life experience. We know that at 16 a child is not yet fully developed in either way… We really need to look into amending those laws and work to protect our children.
Good point…God Bless you
Seriously? I thought it was already illegal…. My Dear God, DA is slow…..
why does it have to be illegal, big men and women should know right from wrong,
where has morality gone?
in fact has it ever existed.
cha man
What if they are two minors, how are we going to deal with that?
You just ground them and send them to their room (separately though). Lol
Good question.
Many countries stipulate no more than a 3 year difference in age between minors (example a 15 year old, and an 18 year old).
Good work, Mr. Harris.
Then she’s on her own because she “Consented” to it and they love each other.
Excelent observation, I hope this has been addressed in the recomendations.
I believe it was in the law already.
How to handle the offenses between minors.
One had to be the initiator. You should probe to find out whose idea the tryst actually was.
We are dealing here with minors. A trial would not be so much a matter of innocent or guilty, or who gets punished. It would hopefully be about guiding one – or both – to admit wrongdoing and providing counseling.
A case like this would highlight the need to teach Christian morality and family values in the homes and schools.
Especially God’s code for sexual behavior as it is found in the New Testament should be taught in the schools in an age appropriate manner. Teachers, school nurses, guidance counselors, physical instructors should make themselves familiar with what the Scriptures say and what their church teaches regarding sexuality and watch for suitable opportunities to share with the students.
The “age of consent” is necessary for legal reasons. However, this does not mean when you reach that magical age it is now all right to break the laws of God.
`
There is no age at which it is O.K. to have sex before marriage or with a partner who is not your legally married husband or wife.
The Bible says “Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that commiteth fornication sinneth against his own body.”(1 Corinthians 6:18) The word “fornication” means illicit sexual intercourse. It includes premarital sex, extramarital sex (adultery), incest, pedophilia, homosexuality, and bestiality.
These standards of morality should be taught in our homes, and in our schools. They are inclusive enough to cover all the bases. They should be preached and taught in the churches. I doubt if a government could completely enforce this but they could encourage it and definitely make a difference.
Sincerely, Rev. Donald Hill. Evangelist.
My Lord why is Dominica so behind the times. Sexual grooming of a minor is not illegal in 2016? Get with it Dominica and stop squabbling about the irrelevant things. Let’s protect these kids.
Better late than never. Let our kids be kids. Let Dominica feel like a safe haven for its youth’s. Thank you thank you.
Let us not get carried away !
But the children and those abused are being carried away.
…and that it MAY become ILLEGAL???
are you serious Dca?
Why the contemplation.?
This kind of offence has been going since the beginning of time but swept under the carpet as it continues to date.
Catch the ……. and throw the book at them
Yes, we are serious….very serious
why cant the age of consent be 18 yrs? a child can’t vote or work or obtain a drivers license at 16 yrs old, therefore they are still going to school and be taken care of by parents. why a parent should have full responsibility of a child at age 16 and that same child should go out and have sex as she pleases and come back home to parents to be clothe, fed and pay school fees? these men in power need to act on these laws, push it up to 18 yrs. kids should be liable to make a better decision at 18.
I totally agree with you Fruit of Love
I agree 100%. I also urge the teenagers to report the matters to their parents or the police. Don’t go playing big woman and make date with those buso-lavie. Dont sell your soul for material things.