AN INTERESTING ARTICLE TODAY.
I Would like to share it with you all...
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IT CAN be difficult to protect against rape because
it often occurs within a home
environment.
However, as a general rule, women should spare
nothing to secure their immediate surroundings.
They should practise travelling in groups, trust
no one and always expect the unexpected.
If possible, potential victims should raise an alarm,
fight or beat a hasty retreat.
In order to discourage and combat rape, we need
to keep in focus the terrifying and extreme
violation of the act.
Victims are routinely subjected to much more
than can be told in the media.
Rape is a mind-blowing, horrible and embarrassing
experience.
Although the aftermath can be quite traumatising,
victims should go to the police to report the
crime and to get help.
At the nearest police station, the victim's name,
address, time and place of the assault are
recorded. In rural areas, victims are seen by
specially-trained policewomen and then taken
to the nearest hospital where they are attended
to by any doctor on duty.
In the Corporate Area, one of seven rape unit
teams (staffed by well-trained and caring
policewomen) is activated.
At present, rape units are not open 24 hours
per day but they are always accessible.
FEMALE PHYSICIAN NEEDED
There are three assigned male doctors on roster
attached to the rape units. The sole female was
transferred elsewhere.
The police acknowledge a need for a female
physician since women that have been raped
sometimes experience a strong aversion to all
males - especially during the hours, days and
weeks after their awful experience.
The current system has a few problems.
There is an urgent need for on-hand emergency
antiretroviral drugs (to combat possible HIV
infection), some victims lament the need for
more privacy (in general) and for more
security at identification parades.
Most find the duplication of detailed (police
and medical) interviews almost intolerable.
And, people within the system agree that, in
addition to doctors, the units also need
counsellors.
Until then, the assigned policewomen (who are
all trained in social work) do interval counselling.
Adult victims are eventually referred to the
Victim Support Unit or the Women's Crisis
Centre and the children are referred to the
Bustamante Children's Hospital or the Child
Guidance Clinic.
PENALTY FOR THE CRIME
The Offences Against the Person Act covers
rape. The crime caries the possibility of life
imprisonment but I don't believe that anyone
has ever received it.
The incarceration time for rape varies widely.
If a firearm is involved, the matter goes before
a judge in the Gun Court and, if convicted,
the perpetrator could face 10-15 years for the
gun crime and a concurrent 10-15 years for
the rape. If no gun is used then the case
goes before a jury and the sentences range
from five-15 years, averaging about seven years
for first-time offenders with a favourable
antecedent.
The perpetrator may receive longer
sentences (12-15 years) if he has a previous
history of violence (not necessarily rape).
Taking into account the dehumanising experience
of rape, I believe that there ought to be
lengthier sentences because the extreme
violation kills a part of the victim. I also believe
that 'rape' should be subdivided into several
categories. The raping of children, male-male
rape, the use of extreme violence and/or
weapons should all receive much stiffer
sentences.
Raping someone while using a weapon, for
instance, should merit consecutive (and not
concurrent) sentences.
Rape victims are scarred for life.
Much more effort needs to be put into the social
conditioning of our males, into teaching them
about respect for others, human rights and into
discouraging the recording, performance
and/or distribution of filthy 'music' and videos.
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