By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas Christian Council pledged to provide guidance and support for victims of sexual assaults yesterday, responding to frequent reports of the violent crime.

The BCC’s press conference yesterday came after a nine-year-old and a 40-year-old woman were sexually assaulted over the weekend. Authorities have said sexual crimes are the only category of major crimes that have increased this year compared to 2022.

BCC president Bishop Delton Fernander condemned the attack on the young girl as a “heinous act”.

“As Christians and as the Christian community, we express our support to the young victim,” Bishop Fernander said.

“We express our support for the family during this immensely difficult and challenging time.

“We are deeply troubled as a society. This is only a sign of what is going wrong in the Bahamian society.

“We stand against any violence against children. We stand against the rape culture that seemingly is developing in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.”

Mr Fernander said the council is willing to serve as a support system for survivors of such traumatic events.

He said perpetrators should be held accountable through strict punishment.

“We wholesomely want to provide what the church does in terms of the survivors of these events,” he said. “To let them know that the church stands in this important role to provide counsel; to provide the Spirit of God; to help with the wholeness and repair of the whole being that would have been afflicted with this kind of injustice.”

Bishop Fernander urged the government, law enforcement and community leaders to take a proactive approach in addressing child protection and safety.

He said the council is willing to collaborate with various stakeholders to promote programmes emphasising child protection, respectful relationships, and the value of every human life.