Port of Spain protesters call for no bail for rape accused

"Jail, no bail," was among the rallying calls at a spontaneous protest held outside Woodford Square on St Vincent Street, opposite the Red House, on Friday.

On Thursday the body of Andrea Bharatt was found in Aripo, bringing an end to a week-long search to find the abducted woman.

The protesters, over 20 of them, were a gathering of strangers who, through social media, decided to get together to demand justice for women who are violated sexually.

Last month Ashanti Riley's body was also found after she was abducted in a taxi.

The group also shouted "Ashanti," and "Andrea."

Chemical engineering PhD candidate from UWI Chantal Mohammed, 26, said she felt sad.

"She could have been me. We are concerned citizens who came together. Her death cannot be it," Mohammed said.

She wants people charged with rape not to be granted bail.

"When they get bail, you are giving seasoned rapists a chance to practise and giving us no chance to fight for ourselves."

She believes rapists do not rape once and the longer a man accused of sexual assault is out on bail, the more opportunities he has to assault other women.

Mohammed said boys need to be taught about consent and respect for women. She is calling for sex and moral education in schools alongside secular education so that boys are taught how to respect women.

Debbie Coggine, 52, used her off day to go and protest. Her daughter told her there was a protest being organised via WhatsApp. That protest was cancelled, but she showed up at the other protest to demand justice for women.

She said Bharatt could have been her or her daughter and she was fed up of reading about women getting hurt.

The protest was organised via social media, and no one was in charge of the gathering. The group gathered from 10am, and around 1pm the police asked them to leave, saying they did not have permission and were blocking the walkway. They asked the group to go into the square.

Some members expressed anger that they were being told to move when they needed to demonstrate for change.