From Caribbean News Now

CASTRIES, St Lucia — Speaking on the troubling issue of rape and violence against women in observance of International Women’s Day, Saint Lucia Prime Minister Dr Kenny Anthony said at a public meeting in Gros Islet last week he strongly believes that there are serial rapists on Saint Lucia and that everything must be done to bring them to justice.

“We need to track them down. We need to find them… to deal collectively with the problem confronting Saint Lucian women,” he said.

“There is a need to ensure that the serial rapists are not free to commit acts of violence against women. The time has come for a change in the rules of evidence in court so that women do not feel dehumanized and embarrassed that they have to give evidence before judges and juries, recounting the trauma of their experience in the full gallery of a court of law,” Anthony continued.

“We do not subject men to that kind of torture. Offenders cannot be successfully prosecuted if victims of rape are continuously put through such traumatic experiences,” he added, while repeating his call to establish a unit within the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (RSLPF) that will specifically deal with issues relating to rape and violence against women.

The prime minister described rape as not only being a criminal offence, but also an act of violence, and called on Saint Lucians not to give mere lip service to the abhorrence of rape in society.

“The battle against rape will not be won if there is not a change of beliefs and attitudes. This needs to start in the home. We men need to understand that when a women tells us no, she means no. When these acts occur in your homes, among your friends; when they occur among your neighbours; you must understand that you must have zero tolerance,” Anthony said.

According to the RSLPF third quarter crime statistics report for 2015 (See PowerPoint here), “Sexual offences and crimes against persons were the only major crime categories which recorded an increased number of accepted cases” and “the number of rape cases increased by 11”.

Alvina Reynolds, minister for health, wellness, human services and gender relations, has on previous occasions said that she is disturbed by the level of violence perpetrated against women across Saint Lucia and has called for improved security to reduce the chances of this happening again.

“We have to continue to teach our men to respect women, respect life and respect each other. Saint Lucian men and boys need to be taught how to respect women and human life. I am saying to mothers and fathers that we have created some monsters in this country and these chickens are coming home to roost,” she said.

On Monday March 7, Zandoli International Foundation, which is lobbying the government to create a Sex Offender Registry in an effort to combat sex crimes in Saint Lucia, presented a petition bearing over 1,000 signatures to Reynolds.

However, minister of national security, Victor La Corbiniere, apparently has reservations about the proposed public convicted child sex offender database:

It is a matter of public record that, in Saint Lucia, Lorne Theophilus, minister of tourism, heritage and creative industries, and Claudius Francis, the president of the senate (and now chairman of the ruling Saint Lucia Labour party), have both been arrested and charged with rape. In each case the matter was settled “out of court”.

IMAGE: Prime Minister Dr Kenny Anthony

For more on this story and video go to: http://www.caribbeannewsnow.com/topstory-Serial-rapists-on-the-loose-in-St-Lucia,-says-PM-29643.html