A petition calling for the amendment of the Sexual Act of Dominica has gone live on the internet with main organizer, Adelaide Paul, saying now is the time to act.
“Due to the recent incidents of sexual crimes (rape) against minors in Dominica, I feel compelled to act,” she said. “Therefore, I have started a petition to bring awareness to persuade the Government of Dominica to Amend the 1998 – Sexual Offences Act to help protect our children.”
Recently it has been reported that two men were arrested for alleged illegal sexual contacts with minors and one bus driver was sentenced to prison for the same crime.
According to the Sexual Offences Act of 1998, the identity of an accused person in a sex crime cannot be published even after that person is charged in court.
“After a person is charged with an offence under this Act, any matter that is likely to lead members of the public to identify a person as a complainant or as the accused in relation to that charge shall not be published in any written publication or be broadcast in Dominica…” section 38.1 of the Act reads.
It stated, however, that the name can be published “after that person has been tried and convicted of the offense.”
The petition wants to change all that.
“This law needs to be amended to allow more exposure, as well as accountability on the accusers’ part once it has been established that they are suspected of having committed a sexual offense,” the petition reads.
Paul said sexual crimes against minors is a “chronic problem” which has reached a breaking point in Dominica.
“I care very much about Dominica; however, after recent reports of allegations of sexual abuse against minors, I feel obligated to speak out,” she said. “We are determined to bring this topic to the forefront and have policy makers examine this crisis plaguing our country by bringing more awareness to this issue.”
She said tougher legislation is needed to protect the most vulnerable citizens of Dominica.
Thank you miss Adelaine Paul for drawing our attention to this. These times are devastatingly devoid of moral values. It is a positive conviction when we can find at least one of us who is not afraid to put one’s foot down and lead the pack.
If the petition is to castrate those dangerous Criminal men, especially those police officers then I am giving my full support. Because big men should stop the brutal rape of our young girls in India the penalty is DEATH and that is the petition we need THE DEATH PENALTY FOR CHILD ABUSE
These men are DEVILS and they are sex demons they should not be bailed at all.
So many laws needs to be changed in Domnica. Sexual act has been one for a while now, too many child abuse left unattended… The Government at the people takes things to casual and lightly in Dominica.
Perhaps it’s time to look at the culture of Sex in Dominica. My experience has been that it’s treated like a game of Dominos … pure sport with no strings attached. Married, Single, Widows, teenagers and children are exposed daily to the mis-use of sex and it’s no surprise that some people prefer sex with children and just “go for it” without any conscience whatsoever. The little children see all kinds of perverse sexuality around them all the time. Not all children have good parents and not all teachers are qualified to work with children. It’s a huge problem and it’s roots are in the cultural norm in Dominica. There should not be so much abuse in such a small place! And, if you carry around a Bible, you should know what it says about such things as marriage and fornication and coveting your neighbor’s wife, etc. It’s very clear, but a lot of people don’t take that part of the Bible “on” because it goes against the cultural norm. Look within Dominica … therein lies the answer to this cruel problem.
If and when the accused is found guilty in court his or her name should be published and NOT until then. This is for the protection of children. I totally agree that he or she should be registered as a sex offender.
Not publishing the accused’s name until he or she is tried in court and then ONLY if the person is found guilty protects the innocent.
The name of the victim should NOT be published. Not before the trial and NOT after the trial. This individual has already been severely traumatized. No child should have to go to school the day after his or her name has been in the paper and have fellow students asking questions or wanting the discuss the ordeal.
It is time to let the healing begin!
The schools could do much in the area of prevention. Students should be taught what to avoid; unnecessary touching, getting in a car or going somelace with a stranger, etc. They should know who they can talk to if there is a problem. Every school ought to have at lease one or two such people on staff qualified to listen to a troubled child and give comfort.
Such incidences should be reported to the principal of the school AND the parents.
It is important to listen and be sympathetic. Children do not often lie about being molested. On the contrary, it takes courage to come forward.
Cases of child sexual abuse should be reported to the police immediately. If a child is molested by a priest you report to the police, not the bishop. Why? Because the bishop will do his best to stop you from talking to the police! And before you know it the priest will be transferred to another parish.
Sincerely,
Rev. Donald Hill, International Evangelist
http://www.livinghopeministries.ca.
I welcome the idea of revisiting and reviewing the Sexual Offences Act of 1998, however instead of just throwing out we should or we need to or the Government must etc, I wish to ask Ms Paul to obtain advice and present a proper document with suggestions and recommendations that the Government can consider. This article is too emotional and does not really provide real recommendations except to amend the Act. Discuss and obtain feedback and then recommend in the form of a proper document! The way this is presented will not get the support that it needs. Refer to a similar petition request by Mrs. Claude Weekes last year which is now receiving Government’s attention. Thank you.
I think you are making a good point , that the petition could be worded differently . Overall though , two main points stand out , which are not new , but the concern of the general public is , to have law makers implement some stringent laws that perpetrators would dare not , or think hard before engaging this addiction .One of the other key points , a registered data of offenders , within the country would do , along with help from neighboring , O.E.C.S and from associate governments , whose citizens may be offenders, just the same . Child sexual abuse is a very emotional and pending issue , and that requires executive actions .
Having a database of offenders (in the OECS) that is linked is very critical to the success of amendments to the act in any OECS territory because we can now move freely in the OECS territories. The way things are now is that if a person believes his/her cover is blown in Dominica they can simply move to, lets say, St. Lucia and carry on without being traced if there is no database. A database is a MUST along with changes to the Act
This section of the Act is NOT meant to protect the accused, but rather the innocent child. The rationale behind that section of the Act is that if the person is identified, then the victim may also be identified. So what the section is seeking to achieve is to suppress any information that may identify the victim. I think more efforts should be levied at section 32 (2) of the Act which states: “(2) A person is not liable to be convicted of an offence under the testimony admitted by virtue of subsection (1) [referring to a minor understanding the nature of an Oath], and given on behalf of the prosecution is corroborated by some other MATERIAL evidence in support thereof implicating the accused, and such corroboration may consist of evidence other than oral evidence.
(3) The unsworn evidence of a minor may not be corroborated by the unsworn evidence of another minor.
This is the section that should be repealed. This section is actually saying that the victim was an accomplice to the crime and in the absence of others to prove otherwise, the accused can’t be convicted. This matter should be left to the jury to weigh the credibility of the victim rather than to say that if she can’t produce other witnesses who saw etc, then he can’t be held liable. I invite readers to read this article to understand the dangers of section 32. http://rhrealitycheck.org/article/2013/08/13/tennessee-supreme-court-rules-minor-not-accomplice-in-her-statutory-rape/
For those of you who are rallying behind our ‘innocent until proven guilty’ clause, let me say I am with you 100% because it is the law. However, I will sign this petition on the grounds that we need complete exposure of these offender. We need to see his/her face big and bold in the media so that the public can recognize these perverts when they get off from prison. I also agree with having a sex offenders registry for all to see. Too many perverts out there destroying young children’s self esteem and their hope for the future. Parents can only do so much. Your child could be out minding her own business and get attacked -why should her parents be blamed? And shame shame on those parents that selling their kids for money. Fire burn them. And yes, those sex offenders who were deported to Dominica after they committed their crime outside should also be included in the registry. It’s time these horny bastards be stopped. Go find a woman and leave people children alone. And if you can’t find a woman then ‘Palmela’ will never say no to you. At least you won’t be exposed.
What about convicted paedophiles who are deported from overseas back to Dominica after serving time in a foreign country for sex crimes against children? Shouldn’t the Dominican public be made aware of these persons as well? I know of one such person walking freely in Dominica and it is alleged that recently he went to another OECS country and attempted to sexually assault a 10 year old. He was promptly asked to leave that OECS country. But it makes you wonder if he did that while he was a guest in somebody’s country what is he doing in Dominica. We all have a right to know even if the crime was committed outside Dominica and the person was convicted of paedophilia, jailed and then deported back to Dominica. He is as big of a threat to our children whether or not the crime was committed in Dominica or in UK.
Pedophilia
Hats off to you Apple Zebra. I totally support your opinion 100%. I too know of such an individual and I also think that we both share thoughts on the same person. Thank you for your expression. Stand your ground as I intend to do the same. It is essential that Dominica know of his presence and his deeds especially his most recent in Antigua & Barbuda.
Dominicans who commit a sexual offence in another country even if they have served their time there if they are sent home – yes – the government and police in Dominica should be fully informed before they arrive. (However, if they have already become citizens of that country they will not likely be sent back to Dominica.)
Their names, pictures, and info should be published in a sex offenders’ registry in Dominica.
Sincerely, Rev. Donald Hill. International Evangelist.
he who lives in glass house should not throw stones..i will have to start a petition against women who knowingly know a man is married and still lives with his faithful wife, but yet they are still bunkering with this same married man for all to see. I need to also start a petition for a new president for the roman catholic church group in new York who is raising funds for the damaged roman catholic church in portsmouth
Wow! While people are trying to have an adult discussion on a particular issue here’s DIN getting personal. Your comment sounds like a personal vendetta. Well last time I checked adultery wasn’t a crime against humanity and the cheating husbands are as much to blame for it so let’s stick to the topic of child molestation, shall we. Some of us are trying to save our children.
I totally agree!
No wonder the commentator did not use his or her real name in this one.
Throw a stone into a pack of dogs and the one that howls the loudest is the one that was hit.
What we have here is somebody who does not want action taken against child molesters. hmmm
Sincerely, Rev. Donald Hill. international Evangelist.
Grown men..then again them little girls need proper parenting too. Not mothers who teaching them to dress like harlots and dance in suggestive ways from early. guardians need to listen to and observe their children more instead of taking for their lovers and spouses. grown MEN! need to cool out on their urges and understand the difference between a child and an adult.
huhhhhhh??? I’M I HEARING RIGHT?? YOU ARE ACTUALLY BLAMING THOSE PRECIOUS LITTLE BOYS AND GIRLS FOR THE WICKED MEN WHO ABUSE THEM SEXUALLY???!!! WAIT WAIT JUST A MINUTE THERE…..
As much as I agree to having the person named “IF” they commit such act , and punished to the extent of the law. I won’t agree to naming the person unless they are found guilty. What if it turns out that it isn’t true? What if the person was framed and there have been instances where people are accused of things and they didn’t do it. I have a daughter yes and id want the head of the person on a platter, but i also have a son and unless he is proven guilty if accused I wouldn’t want the whole world to know that this is the man that” people are saying did that”. it wouldn’t be fair to the person. If he is found guilty I’d personally give an enlarged picture but to condemn someone before they are found guilty is just wrong. These things never go away u can’t brand someone unnecessarily.
You said a mouthfull and expressed my sentiments exactly. I totally agree with you.
I see you have not been abused sexually or your daughter… A name is more important to you than a child’s protection. Sounds like you’ve done some abusing youself
MY lord. get your head out of the clouds and come down to earth a minute. do u even have children? This may not be a man accused it may be a young boy, would you like it if some young girl accused your son of sexual abuse and before he is proven guilty condemn him?
haven’t you ever heard of instances when a young girl willingly have sex with a young boy got pregnant and then said he raped her only to find out that she is pregnant for a much older man? we have to be careful with these things. so as for your final sentence you are just full of crap.
Many commit these crimes and the crime go unspoken. I agree that names should not be published until proven guilty, but proven guilty where, in court? Many times the court finds some of these people NOT GUILTY when in fact, THEY ARE GUILTY. There are times when they are NOT GUILTY and the court finds them GUILTY. I think a GUILTY PERSON is the person the minor says commits the crime. Yes, sometimes the stories are made up, but MOST OF THE TIME THEY ARE TELLING THE TRUTH.
As i will repeat ,the gov’t need proper laws in place to protect the weak and the elderly…including children ,aged people,handicaps,women that are being ill treated or bitten by their spouse or partner and people that are teased or ridiculed by bullies.
We all have the right to live a happy life on earth,no matter what race or creed ,fat ,skinny,pretty ,ugly,poor , rich,immigrants and citizens …
we are all God’s children…make Dominica become a safe and happy place for every one to live in..
“This law needs to be amended to allow more exposure, as well as accountability on the accusers’ part once it has been established that they are suspected of having committed a sexual offense,” the petition reads.”.. this is rubbish you can’t pass a law that condems someone based on suspision. This is a very sensitive matter and both the victim and the accused must be protected from exposure,(as it could be a false accusatio) untill the matter has been resolved by the courts.There will always be perverts among us. Instead of talking about changing the law we should be encouraging parents to take better care of their young children in terms of the individuals they allow to have access to their kids and the way they dress them.
is things like dat the government need to take consideration of..thats a very good move and i support u
Innocent until proven guilty. Why you trying and drag man name in the mud if they not convicted? If Adelaide want to broadcast the accused, then she must broadcast the accuser too. Is a two way street we. The current law protects both individuals privacy until the final legal judgement. Why try and change that?
Are other crimes given any such consideration?
Each crime should be evaluated on its own merit.
Not every crime is as serious as molesting a child.
Sincerely, Rev. Donald Hill. International Evangelist.
It is not a change it is an AMENDMENT, but the law makers need to be VERY CAREFUL.
I concur! I believe we need this changed because many times this is not the first incident/offense of the abuser; therefore it provides an opportunity for victims to come forward and that will help in identifying or mapping Paedophiles; It must be established that this is not a lapse of judgement but a disease affecting certain people in society. I also pray that the government sees it fit to have a family court as part of this whole reform. It is belittleing and embarassing to see you people and parents outside the Courts waiting for thei names to be called “loudly” by the court police. Help save our children abuse of any kind is wrong and painful and it leaves life long scars. A psychologist/psychiatrist would also be a good idea with free councilling to children who have been victims.
A portion of what everyone says is true. I think that after a person is convicted that person should be ORDERED to register as a SEX OFFENDER and should have NO CONTACT WITH CHILDREN even their own, if they have any.