With allegations recently surfacing on Facebook against a local social media personality, who has been accused of sexually assaulting a number of women and spreading sexually transmitted infections (STIs), members of the women’s rights organisation Red Thread are urging the survivors to come forward so that they can receive the necessary advice and support needed.
The accusations resulted in the the alleged perpetrator and even some of his accusers deactivating their Facebook profiles and a majority of the posts were deleted. The man’s accusers had said he committed the assaults while the victims were intoxicated and without their consent. They had also said he carried out the acts with full knowledge that he had STIs.
Sunday Stabroek has contacted a number of police officials who said they were aware of the allegations but indicated that there was no record of any report to the police. They stated that the police could only act based on an official report.
Members of Red Thread, who said they were aware of the allegations based on what was posted on social media, said they have discussed ways in which they can provide support and/or advice to the victims should they approach the organisation.
Although the organisation has not been approached by any of the victims, Red Thread member Joy Marcus advised urged them to come forward and report the incidents to the police, while noting that they are not at fault.
“They didn’t do anything wrong. Nobody has the right to assault them sexually. Sex without consent is rape,” Marcus said while adding “it needs to be reported. Once they report to the police then the police would take necessary action.”
According to Marcus, the victims also need to be aware that support is available via a number of organisations. “They have to know that there are people out there that would support them…It do have organizations they can go to for advice, they can go to for support, they can go to for counselling,” she said.
While engaging in sex with someone without their consent is a criminal offence, Marcus said that knowingly having an STI and exposing another individual to it is also an offence by itself.
Marcus said that justice can only be served if the victim comes forward. “…He needs to pay for his actions… and the only how that could happen is if they come forward,” she noted.
Fear factor
Another member of the organisation, Wintress White, who was also outraged at the man’s alleged actions, pointed out that in matters of such a nature there are a number of reasons which can discourage a victim from seeking the necessary help.
She said a majority of victims are fearful that speaking out might result in them being harmed. “Sometimes you frighten because he probably has a gun and he’s connected and he have friends in big places or he belongs to a gang,” White said. “…People frighten for their life. So, they are not going to come if they know somebody going to shoot them by time they reach home,” she added.
White also voiced her belief that “sufficient” provisions are not in place to protect victims of assault. “Protection is not there. Not even at the police level because sometimes the police them not even confidential,” she noted.
Meanwhile, Marcus explained that once the victims are fearful, they ought to be very cognisant of their movements.
“They have to be careful [about] where they go and not to go alone… just be careful about going out late and going to certain places by yourself because you don’t know what the plans of a perpetrator could be,” she added.
Procedure
Marcus outlined the process that is followed by Red Thread to provide the support and advice needed for victims in such cases. “…There are people, there are organizations who are willing to assist them, to provide the necessary support, to be there for them, to advise them, to walk them through the pace, to work with them and the police to ensure that this case is dealt with in the right way [so] that they would get justice,” she explained.
Obviously, she said, the first step would entail gathering information from the victims about themselves and what transpired. “Once you come, we would want to take some necessary information from you, about yourself….and also we would want to take some information from you about the incident…. Why is not a question,” Marcus stated.
In the instance that a police report has not been lodged, Marcus said, Red Thread would engage the victim on how they wish to proceed. “We don’t say to do that, you have to do it or you should. We want to know what you want to do about it and based on what you want to do about it then we will advise you in that direction,” she further explained.
If the victim desires to lodge a report, she said, Red Thread organise for someone to accompany them to the police.
Should the case reach the level of the court, measures are also taken to ensure that a professional is present with the victim throughout the process to provide the necessary support. “We would be there supporting you. One of the things we also do, too, is we could prepare you for the court. Get you to understand what happens, what to expect in court and so on,” Marcus said.
A follow up is also done with the police to ensure that the matter is being dealt with, she added.
Marcus went on to explain that provisions are made in the Sexual Offences Act so that a confrontation is no longer necessary if the victim/s does not desire to face their perpetrator. “The court will organise to protect them so they don’t necessarily have to face them….We can have that court matter dealt with without the victim seeing the perpetrator,” Marcus said.
A clear case
White told Sunday Stabroek that in this modern era she sees nothing wrong with the victims choosing social media to open up about their experience. “Social media is a young people thing now and so young people give vent to their grievances on social media. That’s their idea about letting people know what is happening,” she said.
This, she said, also sends a warning to individuals who can be future victims “Most young people do not know about organisations like Red Thread and barring that they feel ashamed to come forward and say this is what happened to me. They don’t want to come forward,” White noted.
In some instances, White said, victims even blame themselves. “Maybe I had little too much to drink. Maybe my dress was too short….. Some of them blame themselves but in essence they are not to be blamed. Whether you wink at a man, whether your dress short, whether you had too much to drink…he had no right at all to touch you where you don’t want him to touch, much less to have sex with you without consent…. That’s a clear case of rape,” she explained.
Marcus reminded the victims that they are “not wrong” and should not at any point belittle themselves. “…Once you are an adult and you did not give consent to that sexual activity, it is rape so it is not your fault. It does not matter if you were in his home. It doesn’t matter,” she said. “There is nothing for them to be ashamed of. It’s not their fault and I want to say to the general public do not pass judgement on these victims….This is the time to give support to everybody who is in need of that support…Don’t do it. It is not the right thing to do,” Marcus added.
