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Trinidad and Tobago:Â For years, the number of rape cases in Trinidad and Tobago has been increased, and it is terrifying. The safety of women is in the hands of the government, but the regime is sleeping and not implementing laws to safeguard the women of Trinidad and Tobago.
Again, “the real government-UNC”, according to the public, took the initiative to protect women from the evil of society.
Local newspaper Trinidad express published:
Opposition(UNC) Senator Jayanti Lutchmedial stated that simply denying bail to persons accused of rape was not a modern or reasonable solution – where supporting tools such as DNA testing could today assist in the delivery of justice.
Lutchmedial was speaking on Tuesday during a private motion in the Senate, ‘Deficiencies in dealing with violent crimes against women and girls, brought by Independent Senator Paul Richards, who has been advocating for the legalization of pepper spray and non-lethal weapons that may be used as a defense against violent criminals by women and the similarly vulnerable.
Lutchmedial, an attorney, recounted several criminal cases she had been involved in. She demonstrated the urgency of the need for the modernization of the justice system and the methodology by which sexual crimes and violent crimes against women are investigated.
Richards’ motion saw passionate contributions by the senators, who in their contributions shared a common sentiment that violence against women was now an ‘epidemic’ and a ‘scourge’ and that policymakers must have an ear to the ground and understand the plight of women under siege.
The central theme was that efforts must be made to examine and address the root causes of gender-based violence and the imbalance of power in gender relations. Trinidad and Tobago’s women have ‘had enough.
Lutchmedial said Trinidad and Tobago, in 2021, should have standardized procedures for investigating such crimes, like other places in the world have established and where the goal is to achieve balance in the pursuit of justice.
The United National Congress (UNC) senator said the Opposition is often accused of being ‘obsessed’ with DNA testing and evidence-based tools such as CCTV cameras. Still, the fact was that these were among the aids being used around the world in criminal justice systems.
Lutchmedial said she might have brought an unpopular opinion to the table and that some would find it strange for a female senator, as she recalled a case where a young man falsely accused of rape had waited six years in remand for a trial.
The senator said she was part of a trial where a young woman had become pregnant as a minor and accused a young man from her village of rape.
The man had given the girl a ride home after church, and the man was arrested and charged. The girl later miscarried, so a paternity test was never carried out.
Lutchmedial said she dutifully attended court hearings for six years, during which the young man was routinely denied bail as a matter of course.
Later, when the girl became an adult, she told her parents she was actually in love with a taxi driver who used to drive her around and for whom she later became pregnant.
