While there was an increase overall in sexual offences in 2014, there was an actual decrease in rapes this year compared to last year, Supt Joanne Archie says. Archie said there were 159 rapes in 2014 and 202 in 2013 and the police Crime and Analysis Problem Agency (CAPA) was yet to analyse how many were date rapes. Noting that date rapes did take place in T&T, she said the 159 rapes reported included people being assaulted while commuting, during home invasions and by people known to them.
Archie was responding to questions on a statement by Attorney General Anand Ramlogan that date rape was a fact of life in T&T. The AG, during debate on a bill to monitor precursor chemicals used in making narcotics, said there were police reports of five cases of date rape involving one or multiple partners.
He said precursor chemicals had been known to be used in date rapes where the victim was drugged through a drink given to her by someone she knew while on a date and she woke up the next morning to realise she had been raped. Archie said CAPA’s statistics showed an increase in sexual offences in 2014. She said there were 693 reports of general sexual offences in 2014 compared to 531 in 2013.
The sexual offences for this year include rape, attempted rape, incest, sexual intercourse with minors and indecent assault. “Of the 693, 159 were rapes. But the question of how many were date rapes needs to be analysed further.” Head of the police Victims Support Unit Margaret Sampson-Browne said she had not seen an upsurge in date rapes recently. “I would say not really. We have not had frequent reports for the past six months.”
Sampson-Browne said guilt and shame on the victim’s part might be responsible for infrequent reports. “She feels she would be told, ‘Why did you go out with him?’ or, ‘Why did you accept the drink?’” She said the unit had previous reports of date rapes involving adolescents. Sampson-Browne echoed the AG’s warning to young people, especially with Christmas around the corner and Carnival following close behind.
“Women, and men, need to be aware of their surroundings and who their friends are. You can’t just go to a bar and jump into a lime.” She said, however, the real problem centred on attacks on children. “Our children are in crisis. Adults have to protect children from adults. Children cannot make reports to the police themselves.” Sampson-Browne said her information was based on interventions made by the Victims Support Unit. “Children are being sexually, physically and psychologically abused.
“There are 14- and 15-year-olds giving birth to babies and cannot remember the names of the father. “There are children of separated parents who are abused when they go by the father and abused when they go by the mother.” Sampson-Browne said even pre-school teachers have asked the unit to have sessions with their children.
She was also asked to respond to head of the Central Division Johnny Abraham’s comment that sexual offences were on the rise in Central. Abraham said more victims were coming forward because of increased trust in the division’s police. Sampson-Browne said part of the reason was that the unit also had professionals working with the police. “Once a report is made, professional interventions are made.” She said reports of rapes in the Port-of-Spain area were not as frequent as in outlying areas.
“But it does not mean it is not occurring. “There are a lot of hurting women, and men, out there who have been violated by loved ones.”