MINISTER of Social Services and Urban Development Obie Wilchcombe. (File photo)
By LEANDRA ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
lrolle@tribunemedia.net
SOCIAL Services and Urban Development Minister Obie Wilchcombe said the government is hoping that consultations on the drafted Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill, 2022, will be completed before early next year.
He spoke to reporters on the sidelines of his ministry’s one-day symposium on the proposed sexual offences legislation that seeks to criminalise marital rape among other things.
The event was attended by government officials, religious leaders and women’s right activists, some of whom shared their perspectives on the proposed legislation and also gave recommendations.
At the end of yesterday’s event, Mr Wilchcombe said he thought the discussions went well, adding that he hopes to have another symposium soon.
Asked how long the consultative period will last, the minister said the government is hoping to complete it ahead of the attorney general’s meeting with the United Nations representatives in early 2023.
“We’re trying to move as quickly as we possibly can because we do have some commitments. The attorney general has to speak at the United Nations next year February or March and we don’t want to be in a situation where we’re continuing having to answer questions about our human rights while we’re critical of (other) countries and their human rights so let us be leaders.”
When asked if the final legislation could be tabled in Parliament by then, Mr Wilchcombe was non-committal.
“It’s safe to say that we’re going to have another session and afterward we’ll be able to have a definitive date,” he replied.
Yesterday, attorney Marion Bethel, a committee member on United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), reminded officials of the country’s international human rights commitments, saying the nation had an obligation to live up to them.
“The Bahamas government, The Bahamas as a state really has a lot to be accountable for to Bahamian women, to Bahamian citizens in regard to upholding its obligations - and for us to be able to go abroad and sit with our heads held high and exercise some kind of moral authority in leadership, we really need to be compliant with what we have undertaken,” she said.
As it relates to the draft bill, she said she is pleased with the revised definition of “consent” and the removal of the phrase “who is not his spouse” from the definition of rape and gave further recommendations.
For his part, Free National Movement leader Michael Pintard said he thought advancing discussions on the draft legislation was a step in the right direction.
“Now that we have it before us, our colleagues will meet. I’ve gotten feedback already from the time draft amendments were circulated and so, colleagues have already begun to formulate their opinion and we will sit down as a caucus next week and have a detailed discussion with respect to it,” he said.
Marital rape is currently not a crime in The Bahamas and while some former administrations have pledged to address the matter through legislative means, it has never happened.
Meanwhile, there have been renewed calls for the Davis administration to address this gap in legislation, especially in view of a recent Supreme Court ruling on a divorce case involving a woman who said she felt like a “rape victim” in her marriage.
While the judge ultimately granted the couple’s divorce and ruled that the husband was cruel for forcing his wife to have sex against her will, it was found that “there is no rape in marriage” under Bahamian law.
“Imagine having to kiss, to lay down and have sex with someone that just burst your head open with your head,” symposium attendee Tina Foster-Gay said yesterday, while recounting her experience of abuse while married.
“Let’s make this vision clear. It is not fair. It is not fair that I could’ve not stood behind the laws of my country as someone who serves in this country.
“It is not fair that women cannot go to the police because they are told ‘that’s your spouse, you’re married.’ So, I should suffer and I should die. God is not pleased. He did not put me on this earth to suffer -to be hit and abused and raped.”
She also asked, “Where is the church when I am being raped by my spouse?”
“Where is the church when I am being hit and being abused? Telling me not to leave, but they are going to bury me and they are going to say ‘ashes to ashes and dust to dust’.”
Ms Foster-Gay, who has since left the abusive relationship, urged Bahamians in similar situations to “get out” and also called on lawmakers to stand behind survivors of abuse.
Comments
tribanon 1 year, 7 months ago
Government is obviously using Softy Obie as their spokesperson to do whatever it takes to slow down and/or stall the passage of these urgently needed new laws criminalizing marital rape.
He's seen by government to be a safe spokesperson for the slowing down job because his deviant proclivities are unlikely to have ever caused any harm to a woman, certainly not a wife.
Here he's boldly telling us not to expect cruel Davis and Ryan Pinder to fast track these new laws.
birdiestrachan 1 year, 7 months ago
The government will do well to thread carefully with marital rape issues the devil is in the details , also with the Republic ,
how in the world can marital rape be proved , according to the persons pushing this law a man is better off with a sweet heart
Marriage is sacred Institution ,
tribanon 1 year, 7 months ago
You're obviously attending the wrong church with the wrong religious leader. But not to worry, you're well beyond any possible hope of redemption.
sheeprunner12 1 year, 7 months ago
How can an old batty man lead a discussion on God ordained marriage?????
That's how wicked and warped this PLP Govt is.
carltonr61 1 year, 7 months ago
75% of our adult female population with children either live with parents or are independent single parent. We need clear data on single female ages who are actually house owners or apartment home head. Considering that based on data, weddings head for divorce after the age of 45, which also coincides with harsh female menopause when sex becomes painful like sandpaper. Of the 25% of female population married there is call for more sex up to 35 years of age.
A 45 year old married Bahamian man is at 90% peak sexual prime at a time when his wife may be seeking 25% or less sexual desire. If that husband is 100% dedicated to his wife that sand paper will have plenty cruel nights and years ahead of her. Women cannot duck menopause and husbands can do little to prevent sexual desire for his wife. Bahamian wives at 25 brags how they say no but husband love the stuff so much till he take it but get more than he could handle and kill him with it. At 50 years of age she will holla for sexual harassment if husband look to hard and rape if he touch it - coming soon.
Our 75% single females at 45 years of age could catch AC all night long with no disturbance while laughing at the married 20% who catching sexual hell. When single woman get bills to pay se will find mr KY Jelly.
carltonr61 1 year, 7 months ago
Imagine, a preacher having to face a wife who complains her husband raped her by having natural sex after 40 to 50 years of absolute marritial loyalty to God within the sacred bed.
carltonr61 1 year, 7 months ago
The UN discrimination against women seek to protect born males who declare themselves women by giving them equal rights as God born females. Just yesterday the USA sporting banned trans sex reassignment from official competition.
carltonr61 1 year, 7 months ago
The father of the nation Sir Lynden Pindling in reading his speeches always advocated for Bahamians to be productive and have great work ethics giving quality time into work and family. However, as demonstrated by the gambling referendum the voice of the people means nothing. The church was against gambling but monied special interest focused group prevailed over the will of the church and people especially betraying and back stabbing Pindling. Again the church is passionate about its rehm in considering itself the spiritual guide for Bahamians. Again special and questionable interests feminist groups are voicing over the church and cursing God's words. After Christie's betrayal of everything Pindling, the PLP, the church, democracy demands by and of the majority. These gambling black boys have amassed more wealth than ten UBPs together and once again private money controls the destiny of our democracy as the UBP Pindling destroyed. These lack UPBs bad negative money capital Pindling directed for the nation. After Ingraham's second term Things Pindling died. PLPs and the church voted massively to save our nation from the great fear. A vote for Minnisitis was a nightmare. Worst than the UBP of old the new black gambling money billionaires probably controls the gaming board as Bahamians are 100% denied gaming protection from addictions that has destroyed the person, family, society community, work ethics and nation. What will happen with married rape claims probably has already been decided.
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