Red Thread produces ‘household guide’ on Sexual Offences Act

Sep 29, 2012 News

By Abena Rockcliffe

Red Thread at a press conference on Thursday disclosed that the organization has completed the “first draft” of its simplified version of the Sexual Offences Act.
Members of the organization said that they found the need to simplify the Act, as they did to the Domestic Violence Act in 1996, so that “grassroots women can understand it and know their rights”.
The initiative is being supported by the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women).
Joy Marcus, female rights activist and member of Red Thread, said that as a grassroots woman, she sees the initiative as very important. Marcus said that it will give other women like her the opportunity to understand the law as pertinent to them. “It is good that we are making it accessible to them.”
Another member of the organization, Karen de Souza, said that ‘public education’ of the Act is imperative for all women “…so that whenever we go to the station to make a report we know exactly what right has been infringed”.
She referred to the year-long protest that was staged by her organization and others across Guyana pertaining to “this same act”.
According to de Souza, equal rights and justice in Guyana is a “thorny” issue, as only the rich are afforded that opportunity.
“If you can afford a good lawyer then you can enjoy the rights of justice as a citizen of this country; but if you are poor you are left to suffer; therefore we must know our rights so as to help protect ourselves,” de Souza stated.
She explained that they are referring to the current simplified document as the “first draft” because it is likely to see further changes if the Act is amended “as we would want it to be”.
The Women’s Rights activist said that the organization has some qualms about the section of the Act which states that those who are mentally challenged should not have sex.
“They are people just like us; they breathe just like us, they have urges just like us; why should they not be allowed to have sex?”
She pointed out that there are “a few issues that need to be addressed at the National Assembly then we will make the adjustments and distribute”.
Marcus said that the simplified version of the Act is called a ‘household guide’.
At the press conference which was facilitated at Red Thread’s location in Adelaide Street, Charlestown, the audience was shown a dramatic conversation that gave examples of “how rape works”.
The conversation brought out some factors that may influence rape like stereotyping “labeling a girl easy” and poverty “when a man tell heself he spend a lot on a woman”.
A part of the presentation specified that a woman’s mode of dress does not give permission for a man to take advantage; “… nobody asks to be raped”.
The conversation went on to depict the scorn and denial that comes along with a rape saga. “Women most times doubt themselves and wonder if maybe it is something they did that invited the man.”
Further, the video clip addressed the contemplation most women have when attempting to highlight the issue “just because they don’t want to be shamed”. It was mentioned in the brief film that the law protects victims by forbidding publication of any identification.
The conversation revealed research that proved most rape acts are committed by a person known to the victim.
In addition, the video informed that Section Five of the Sexual Offences Act states that “consent should not be assumed if the victim was aroused during the act or if the victim did not fight off”.
Marital rape was addressed and clarification was given that “a woman has a right to report her husband,” as Section 37 of the Act says “marriage is no defence for a charge against rape”.
Marcus told the gathering that the video will be used for community discussions. She noted that Red Thread’s household version of the Domestic Violence Act has been used by the Guyana Police Force to inform recruits and “we hope they will be able to use this one also”.
“But most importantly women will know their rights”, she concluded.

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Red Thread produces ‘household guide’ on Sexual Offences Act

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