The government has revealed they are open to reviewing the age of consent in Dominica from 16 to 18. According to National Security Minister, Rayburn Blackmoore, raising the age of consent to 18 will not only lower sex incidents in the country, it will also raise the bar for teenagers to vote in elections.
Blackmoore said it is not sensible to lower the sexual age to 14, but raising it to 18 will protect minors and other vulnerable groups across the Island. He added that the government is also open to introducing a sex offender register with a view to curbing rape and sex offenses in Dominica. The register will list the names of convicted sex offenders, their photos, birth dates, addresses, and other pertinent information.
According to the minister, a sex offenders registry will alert people to be on critical guard when an offender is around minors. With the knowledge that an individual is a sexual predator, members of the community will be more wary around such persons and help keep children away from such predators. The stigma associated with being listed on the register will also help curb predators from prowling around.
Blackmoore said there must be balance when considering sex offenders register since some offenders may have served jail terms and been reformed before re-integration into the society. He clarified that although the register is not yet instituted in the country, the police authorities keep a “rogues gallery” where the photos, names, sex offense, and time served by offenders is kept.
In her reaction, the acting Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Sherma Dalrymple, said Section 38 of the Sexual Offences Act makes it possible for the names of sex offenders to be made public if the plaintiff or prosecution applies for the publication. She noted that while the names of violated minors are not published, the names of adult sex offenders are usually published in the media.
Dalrymple however lamented a situation where parents come to her office to plead for the discontinuation of child abuse cases in law courts, saying such development is not good for the overall health of the nation.
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