CMC – Opposition Leader Dr Gale Rigobert says the ruling St Lucia Labour Party (SLP) should do more to curb rapes, a spate of which has been occurring here.
Among the ways in which the Government can intervene, according to Rigobert, are the reopening of the forensic laboratory, equipping the police, and implementing protocols at the various health centres and hospitals to deal with victims of rape to preserve their privacy and dignity.
“These are very tangible fixes to the problem,” she explained, adding that they did not represent the sum total of measures that can be taken.
The Micoud North member of parliament raised questions about the number of rape victims who have received counselling after their ordeal.
She appealed to victims and their families, who can muster the courage, to begin to share their stories.
“Too many people are still dealing with this as a passing news item, as an ugly news item, while this is a life-changing experience,” the opposition leader said.
So far this year there have been close to a dozen incidents of rape, and police authorities say this may only be those that have been reported.
Meanwhile, St Lucia’s new Police Commissioner Severin Moncherry has urged rape victims to come out and report the matter.
“It is only by reporting the matter that we can bring the perpetrators to justice,” said Moncherry, who took over as police commissioner on Friday.
Moncherry also disclosed plans for a support team to assist rape victims.
The measure has been criticised as a duplication of the work intended for the Vulnerable Persons Unit (VPU) of the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force.
The unit investigates crimes of rape and sexual assault.
Moncherry said he believes that the VPU is doing a “marvelous” job.
“What we are looking to do is to create a new team that will assist them, and what we are putting in place is more of a patrol-type team to assist in prevention and detection; so we are not saying that the Vulnerable Persons Unit is not working; I am satisfied with the work they are doing, but we need to build on it,” he said.
Responding to suggestions that people could increasingly take the law into their own hands because of the perceived slow pace of justice, Moncherry asserted that there was need to make a distinction between self-defense and vigilante justice.
He said that vigilante justice entails taking the law into one’s own hands and not seeking assistance from the police.
Nevertheless the police commissioner said that every citizen has the right to defend himself, his property or other people.
He said citizens need to understand the distinction between defending themselves and meting out vigilante justice.
The issue of vigilante justice has arisen on the heels of a spate of rapes in various parts of the country, resulting in some women vowing to arm themselves and take matters into their own hands if they are targeted.
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