The Tribune

By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

SOCIAL Services Minister Obie Wilchcombe said on Friday he could not confirm a timeline for when consultations for marital rape legislation will be done, adding discussions are still continuing .

Mr Wilchcombe spoke to reporters on the sidelines of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women Forum.

“I can’t really give a date like that. I have been talking with some of the church leaders and some of the NGOs to see how best a time and we are waiting for some schedules and some dates,” he said.

He said dialogue is still ongoing, adding it would be wrong for the government to move hastily and not allow all voices of the people to be heard.

“We’re still in dialogue,” the minister said.

“You have to appreciate there are those who support it and those who don’t. There’s an argument about the language being used. So let’s see how we can get to a language that’s acceptable to all. And as we talk to the church leaders, as we talked to the stakeholders, and to NGOs.”

He added: “We want to be able to walk away knowing that we’ve allowed for the dialogue. No matter how long it takes, no matter how long it takes, we will allow for the dialogue.

“And the dialogue then gets us to the point where all Bahamians will be acceptable of where we are. Even if you don’t agree, or you agree it doesn’t matter. You would know that I participated. I was able to state my views, I got all the positions.”

In September, the Ministry of Social Services and Department of Gender and Family Affairs’ hosted a one-day symposium at Superclubs Breezes on sexual offences legislation.

A draft amendment to the Sexual Offences Act that seeks to criminalise marital rape and redefine what consent is and discussed at the forum and there was some pushback from a few religious leaders to the proposed changes.

Mr Wilchcombe previously said the government hoped consultations on the drafted Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill, 2022 would be completed before early this year.

Asked how long the consultative period will last, the minister had said the government was hoping to complete it ahead of the attorney general’s meeting with the United Nations representatives in early 2023.

Meanwhile, some women’s rights activists have accused the government of “dragging its feet” on marital rape legislation, suggesting the Davis administration is stalling with ongoing consultations.