Left to right: Human Services Minister ALvina Reynolds, Opposition Leader Dr. Gale Rigobert.
Reports that two young females gang-raped by three unknown men on Monday in Rodney Bay, and other recent cases of sexual assault and rape has caused widespread outrage.
Human Service Minister Alvina Reynolds has expressed concerns about the recent incident and said she wants to the perpetrators of this crime to face the full force of the law.
“We are equal partners in this country and one group cannot be seen different or disrespected and violated again and again. This has to stop,” Reynold remarked.
The minister also said now might be the best time to start a conversation on proposing a new legislation, authorizing personal safety weapons for women in St. Lucia.
“I want to think now is the time we begin to speak about how women can protect themselves. Fight back…using pepper spray and other weapons,” Reynolds told HTS News Force.
Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Dr. Gale Rigobert has also expressed concern over the recent incident, stating that she has no tolerance for it and that the society should adopt the same stance.
“We should take a stance, and the powers that be need to send a strong message to would be rapists that they will feel the full brunt of the law,” Rigobert said.
The opposition leader suggested that government start to allocate adequate resources to all related agencies to make the necessary intervention and help to reduce the high incidence of rape.
Dr. Rigobert also highlighted the need for government to better equip law enforcement, to pursue these matters rigorously, instead of pumping all the resources into the infrastructure sector.
Two females, both 16 years old, were gang-raped by three unknown males on Monday, between 10:00 and10:30 p.m. at an apartment in Reduit Orchard, Rodney Bay.
Police said one male was armed with a gun and the females were also robbed of certain items. The men used their t-shirts to cover their faces, while they raped these young women.
Police have launched an investigation into this matter.
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