Dear Editor,
We read in the Stabroek News dated 30-03-07 (pg13) that a 39 year old man was accused of indecently assaulting a 17 year old girl and her father wanted to settle the matter since the case would take him away from his work. Although the girl told the magistrate that she had received compensation , the magistrate refused to drop the case.
Young girls are often forced by family members to settle cases of sexual violence either by marrying the culprit or taking money as a settlement, leaving the man free to commit the same crime against other girls or women. It is time for people to understand that girls and women are not for sale and that no man is entitled to violate our bodies and get away with it.
We congratulate Magis-trate Geeta Chandan for the way she dealt with the matter and urge all other magistrates and judges to deal with similar matters in the same way.
Yours faithfully,
Wintress White
Cora Belle Roberts
for Red Thread
