Opposition Leader Michael Pintard speaks in the House of Assembly. Photo: Dante Carrer
Pintard says Davis keeps changing view on legislation
By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS
Tribune Staff Reporter
lmunnings@tribunemedia.net
FREE National Movement leader Michael Pintard labelled Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis a “serial flip-flopper” for suggesting that criminalising marital rape is not a priority because it was not mentioned in his party’s pre-election manifesto, “Blueprint for Change”.
He also criticised Mr Davis’ suggestion that divorce is the solution for women who believe their spouse has raped them.
“He changes his position regularly,” Mr Pintard claimed yesterday, adding that Mr Davis should make a principled decision.
“You would recall the prime minister promised to address this issue as he has promised with NIB and a number of other areas, and he continues to change his position,” Mr Pintard claimed.
“So, he has to make a principled decision as the leader of the country versus trying to wet his finger and determine which direction the crowd is headed in and formulate his opinion.
“What that opinion does not address is whether or not it is correct for a woman against her will to be forced to have sex where she may believe her life is at risk or other reasons she determined this is not the correct time. So the prime minister knows that this is a very complex issue, and he should not dismiss it with such an oversimplified response.”
The Bahamas is one of the few countries in the region to explicitly exclude marital rape from its definition of rape, except where spouses are legally separated or subject to separation proceedings.
A University of The Bahamas study last year found that 30 per cent of Bahamian women were victims of rape in a long-term relationship, and over 50 per cent of adults favoured changing the law to remove the marital exception in cases of rape.
Successive administrations have pledged to criminalise marital rape, but failed to do so.
Mr Pintard said last year that those administrations squandered opportunities to address the matter, but the time has come to fix it.
The Davis administration drafted a bill in 2022 to criminalise marital rape.
However, its commitment to passing the law has become increasingly less certain.
Asked about the matter this week, Mr Davis said: “My thing is that the time when, any time, a couple was married in a blissful marriage reaches the stage where they’re going to report their husband for rape, it seemed to me that marriage was irretrievably broken down, meaning that they’re no longer married even though it may not have been so pronounced by a court.”
Comments
John 1 week, 2 days ago
If one were to look at a map of the countries that have passed the marital rape law, making it illegal, one would see it is mostly Arab and African countries that have not passed this wicked bill. And obviously it is because of religious or cultural beliefs that a man is still head of the household and should have the uninfringed right to initiate sex with his wife. Basically all of North , Central and South America, Europe, Asia and Australia have passed marital rape laws. Several countries have not made it a criminal offense but ‘marital rape’ is prohibited. The point being that whilst the PM may hold out and delay passing this demonic law, the powers that be will eventually bring force on this government or the one that follows the Davis administration to pass this law. The intent is clear.
newcitizen 1 week, 2 days ago
Again, John, stop with the wall of text. Just say what you actually think. You think women are less than men. You do not believe that women should have equal rights to men.
You'd have a different tune if a wife was holding her husband down and violating his bungy. You think marital rape is ok, so that should be ok too then, right?
John 1 week, 2 days ago
That is clearly your opinion and not mines. And you continue to try advance your agenda about me saying inequality of the sexes. As far as I know the marital rape law addressed rape of either spouse so if you married to someone that wants to hold you down and bungy you then that’s on you. Stop using me to advance your unpopular opinion. That is very dirty and nasty if you. In fact it is slanderous. I am quite capable of voicing my own opinions. Obviously you have a challenge doing the same. Don’t be a coward and speak for your self.
mandela 1 week, 2 days ago
Marital Rape, what is that exactly? How can a man and a woman be in a loving, working marriage and then she for some reason reports him for rape? That don't make any sense. If they are not loving and working together then they should be divorced. What I think these women want is to live in a broken relationship where they do there own thing outside the marrage but wants the man to still take care of them and all their bills, while they give their attention to someone else and none to him and if he rightfully wants attention they can holla rape, and ruin his life or extort him to keep quiet.
John 1 week, 2 days ago
They speak about marital rape. But rape is described as a time of violence not a sex crime. But when you look at ( read) the bill it describes or alters the normal things a man ca no longer do with his wife after the bill is passed. For example a married man has to ask for permission to kiss his wife. And if he wants sex from his wife, he can no longer just initiate the act. He must get VERBAL consent or permission. If a married man puts his hand in his night dress and fondles her breasts during the night that becomes a sex crime.
TalRussell 1 week, 2 days ago
It's too clever by half for now redshirt moement opposiion leader (leader untll 2024 convention day) to lecture anyone on martial rape, considering he's not on House of Assembly (HOA) record for having departed with his redshirt colleague Lanisha Rolle’s (HOA) floor stance that marital rape is a private matter. --- Good Day!
birdiestrachan 1 week, 2 days ago
this law goes back to 1993 Mr Pintard and the FNm Government had twenty years to pass this law why has it become so urgent a marriage is between two [people one of them can decide the end the devil is in the details it is a trap for fools to fall in
avidreader 1 week, 2 days ago
Why are these people so enthusiastic about a trap that many an innocent person can fall into? The burden of proof is a very heavy load in such cases. The feminists should ease off on their crying and simply state their desire to have an additional weapon with which to threaten the man.
TalRussell 1 week, 2 days ago
It's not surprising that this colony's marriage and divorce laws restrict a marriage to be between a mans' and womans' ---- Are a colonialist holdover. -- A law upheld by judges appointed as King's counsel. --- Yes?
ExposedU2C 1 week, 2 days ago
Pintard knows full well that Davis is morally bankrupt and therefore incapable of making the principled decision to criminalise marital rape in our statute laws. No right minded woman should ever consider voting for a PLP candidate, especially a female candidate, until such time that marital rape is both specifically and satisfactorily criminalised under our statute laws.
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