Justice system’s failure

UWI’s Institute of Gender and Development Studies head Dr Gabrielle Hosein.  - file photo
UWI’s Institute of Gender and Development Studies head Dr Gabrielle Hosein. - file photo

AN anonymous Twitter page naming alleged sexual assault perpetrators is an opportunity for victims to speak out, said head of UWI’s Institute for Gender and Development Studies Dr Gabrielle Hosein. She was commenting on the recent “Trinbago Sexual Assault Exposers” page.

At the weekly police media briefing, last Thursday, Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith described the claims on Twitter as “very unfortunate” and irresponsible.

Hosein told Newsday on Tuesday, the Twitter account reflects a failure of the justice system to deal with crimes of sexual violence in a ways that enables victims to feel safe in reporting and pursuing a case up to conviction.

“It’s an opportunity for victims to speak out in ways that don’t put them at further risk. Imagine if all those women felt that their experiences of sexual violence, including coerced sex, could not occur with such impunity.

“Naming and shaming campaigns have long been criticised by established authorities, but from them we learn about the many figures of trust and respectability who wield power in exploitative and harmful ways, repeatedly and without being held to account. So many silences need to be broken and, in this case, some have found a way through these Twitter accounts.”

She pointed out the 2018 women health survey stated that one in five women report non-partner sexual violence and one in ten report forced intercourse by at least one non-partner.

At the police media briefing the police announced the new Sexual Offences Unit which will investigate reports of sexual assaults against adult victims, both male and female, where the assault is non-intimate and targeted such as date rape. On the unit, Hosein said it is necessary to pay greater attention to sexual offences.

“One in ten women in TT have experienced non-partner sexual violence, and work should continue to de-stigmatise male victims of sexual violence as well. We are certainly concerned about these units being properly resourced and trained, and as with the Gender-Based Violence Unit, there should be an advisory committee which allows civil society organizations working on the area of sexual violence and gender based violence to provide guidance and oversight.”

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