EMPOWERING VICTIMS OF CRIME

Oct 25, 2016 Editorial

Some news is more shattering than others, but sometimes one cannot believe the news one hears from the television or what one reads in the newspapers. Some news stories are amazing; others such as rape and sexual abuse of innocent children baffle and infuriate the rational mind, especially when the issue involves family members.
The mindset behind any rape of a human being is unsettling. Sexual assault against children is not new. It is centuries old and it exists in almost every country. Children as young as five years old are preyed upon by sexual predators. No child should be robbed of its innocence or childhood in this manner.
Children are the most precious gift to parents and to society but for some advantage is being taken on them by evil men.
Single mothers of children, especially girls should be very careful of allowing their male friends into their homes and leaving them alone with their children. The trend of male friends raping and destroying the innocence of children of their female partners is common in Guyana. However, the reality is that many single mothers cannot survive living alone; they need help to take care of their children. But in the haste to have a male partner, they give little or no thought as to whether the person is fit to have a future with them, which may include caring for their children.
They should be aware that when they form a relationship, their children would become part of it as well, because every decision would affect the children. Unfortunately, some mothers are irresponsible in that they tend to place their male friends’ interest ahead of those of their children.
In Guyana, counselling, which is considered victim support in cases of crime, is a vital function in society but it is often underestimated and underappreciated. Counselling should be sought in cases of divorce, juvenile delinquency, but more importantly, in rape or sexual molestation of children.
In the latter case, counsellors should be the contact persons to bring the matter to the attention of the police who will arrange for medical examination of the child. They should also help the victims recover and heal.
Victim support is defined as helping persons deal with the consequences of crimes. It entails providing emotional and practical support needed to overcome the trauma inflicted on people by criminals. It also involves psychological counselling and comforting the victims.
Victim support is essential in helping persons report the crime and bring the perpetrators to justice. Victims of sex crimes rarely report their ordeal to the police out of fear or shame, or when it involves a family member.
Sexual abuse of children is further compounded by the children’s dependence on adults to report to the police. Data from the US Justice Department, National Crime Victimization Survey shows that between 2002 and 2008, only two percent of rapists have served a day in prison and 68 percent of assaults are not reported to the police.While no comparable data is available for Guyana, we can only surmise that as an underdeveloped nation, the statistics may be worse.
To help solve this problem, the government should establish a Victim Support Unit to address this issue and provide support to victims of all types of crimes, not just sexual offences. It must be fully staffed with counsellors, psychologists and support personnel to ensure that each victim of crime, especially rape and sexual abuse of children, receives individual attention. Such a support system is essential to help victims of crime, especially children recover from their trauma, and to empower them to prosecute their abusers.
The old saying, “All that is necessary for evil to succeed in society is for good men to stand by and do nothing” is so apt.

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