By JADE RUSSELL

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

A LOCAL activist says the Anglican Diocese’s support towards the amendments to the Sexual Offences Act, which will make marital rape a crime, is important, as many denominations have failed to publicly do the same.

When stating the support for the legislation, Bishop Laish Boyd said last week this is a “simple and no-brainer” step in pursuit of justice and basic human rights for all parties.

“This is important as many denominations have failed to be publicly vocal in their support, and many others have chosen to, instead, support rapists,” Equality Bahamas director Alicia Wallace said when contacted for comment yesterday about Bishop Boyd’s statements.

“When ‘the church’ is discussed in public discourse, particularly in reference to human rights, it is seen as a barrier to the progress we need to make as a country, both in law and in our beliefs and behaviour.

“It is important for rights-minded people and institutions to be heard, especially in the midst of a false debate about bodily autonomy and the definition of rape.

“Boyd clearly stated that rape is violence and the right to protection from violence is not lost as a result of marriage,” Ms Wallace said.

During the opening service of the 119th Session of the Synod at Christ Church Cathedral on October 19 Bishop Boyd said the Anglican Diocese “wholeheartedly” supported the proposed amendments to the Sexual Offences Act so that “wherever rape happens it is called rape”.

The Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of The Bahamas and The Turks and Caicos Islands argued that no individual, whether single or married, should be subject to such degrading behaviour.

Ms Wallace has previously called on religious leaders to speak up in terms of women’s rights and to support the draft amendment to Sexual Offences Act that seeks to redefine rape and consent.

Under the proposed bill, rape is redefined as “the act of any person not under fourteen years of age having sexual intercourse with another person without the consent of that person where he knows that person does not consent or is reckless as to whether the person consents.”

Initially, the draft amendment to the Sexual Offences Act had mixed reactions from religious leaders when it was released last month.

One pastor referred to the draft legislation as being “the wickedest and most demonic” bill in the country’s history.

Yesterday, Ms Wallace urged political leaders to stop relying on the church to craft policy and to instead honour the country’s commitment to the people and international treaties.

“Religious leaders have the obligation to guide their members to act and speak with love and concern for one another. Women’s rights advocate have assumed the responsibility of centering people in situations of vulnerability and demanding action to end gender-based violence against women,” Ms Wallace said yesterday.

She continued: “We must all be clear in our messaging — rape is rape, consent is mandatory, and marriage is not a defense for rape. We demand that the government cease the false debate and act with integrity by discussing marital rape as an issue of human rights rather than one of opinion.

“We call on the government to end its reliance on ‘the church’ and to prioritise meeting its commitment to the people of The Bahamas, affirmed by its ratification of various international mechanisms including CEDAW. We encourage people in positions of power, including religious leaders, to join the #Strike5ive campaign.”