In light of the alleged sexual molestation of a six-year-old girl on Friday, President of Bahamian Fathers for Children Everywhere, Clever Duncombe, is calling for stiffer penalties for offenders of children.
Last Friday, members in the community were saddened after hearing reports that the girl was found partially naked coming from a bushy area near the Blue Hills Road Power Plant.
A man in his 30s was arraigned on Monday in connection with the crime. The alleged molester was charged with forcible detention and unlawful sexual intercourse, and was remanded to Her Majestyﾒs Prison.
Mr. Duncombe told the Bahama Journal that for the last four years his organization has been pushing for new social policies and new laws that would act as an additional protection for the nationﾒs youth.
However, he said the organization has been unsuccessful in getting the laws updated.
Mr. Duncombe claimed that the present and past administrations have failed the nationﾒs children because they failed to provide stronger legislative protection for children.
” I feel [that] I have let that little girl down and many other children who were in similar positions [down] because despite our greatest effort we have nothing to show for it. The only thing we have to show for our efforts is that the numbers as [they] relate to child abuse keep escalating,” Mr. Duncombe said.
Despite the fact that Minister of Social Services and Community Development Melanie Griffin has said that the Affiliation and Proceedings Act will bring about stiffer penalties once passed, Mr. Duncombe claimed the provisions in this proposed legislation are still not adequate to protect the children.
“This is an antiquated piece of legislation. We are hoping that the government will implement stiffer penalties,” Mr. Duncombe said.
He added that members of his organization would redouble their efforts to push for stronger child protection laws.
“They have brought legislation to protect our conch; they brought legislation to protect our mammals and environment, but to date there is no new legislation to protect our children despite these horrific acts that are being perpetrated on them,” he said.
Mr. Duncombe hopes that a system similar to that in the United States is implemented, where sex offenders would have to be registered in the communities where they live.
By: Bianca Symonette, The Bahama Journal
