Richards: More than 6,000 rapes in past ten years

Barataria/San Juan MP Saddam Hosein
Barataria/San Juan MP Saddam Hosein

INDEPENDENT Senator Paul Richards has described as "shocking and disgusting" police statistics of more than 6,000 rapes in the past ten years.

He was contributing to a motion to approve the Sexual Offences (Amendment to Schedule 1) Order in the Senate Tuesday.

He said information from the police Crime and Problem Analysis unit showed 6,047 reported rapes for the period 2000-2019 with 73.2 per cent people between the ages of seven to 24 and 48.7 per cent people aged seven to 17.

"We have a problem in TT. There are predators and rapists roaming our streets in TT."

Richards said the number of convictions for the period was 1,455 or 24.1 per cent. He pointed out that research showed that of reported rapes there are about 50-63 per cent that are unreported and the 6,047 figure could be doubled or multiplied.

He said the statistics showed inadequacies in the criminal justice system and there was a need to tighten the system. He added that he completely supported the motion, which seeks to have people put on the Sex Offenders Registry, as there are people who are repeat offenders and could possibly repeat the acts but citizens have no way of identifying them.

Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi in piloting the motion said the Children Authority Child Sexual Abuse document for May 18, 2015-October 31, 2018 there were "alarming statistics" including abuse of babies. He reported physical abuse of victims were: 2.1 per cent of abuse were children aged zero to 11 months; 13.9 per cent children age one to three; 18.9 per cent children four to six; 19.6 per cent children aged seven to nine; 24.1 per cent children aged ten to 13; 13.6 per cent children age 14-15; and 7.7 per cent age 16-17.

"And what does that tell us? There are some very sick people amongst us in TT."

He said from 2000-2019 the number of people convicted at the magistracy for sexual offences was 1,461 and at the High Court 232 for a total of 1,693 people. He added that none of these people were ordered to register under the Sex Offenders Registry. He explained that the motion will amend the schedule so if someone has a matter that comes up at the court there is now an opportunity to register that sex offender.

Opposition Senator Saddam Hosein said the statistics provided by the Children's Authority were very frightening.

"It shows our young children are at risk of sexual predators and sexual offenders."

He said that the Children's Authority reported 5,737 cases of child sexual abuse in its three and a half years of operation.

"Oh gorsh (sic) man. This cannot be our beautiful TT. One case is far too many."

Hosein said the Opposition will support the motion.

"We too want to ensure the children of this country are properly protected."

The motion was subsequently passed.

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