By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Chief Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

A FIVE-year prison sentence for a man who pleaded guilty to molesting his three-year-old twin daughters sparked outrage from women’s rights activists yesterday, with one saying it shows ignorance and indifference to survivors of sexual violence and highlights a flawed judicial system.

“The trend of light sentences and fines we have been seeing for acts of sexual violence, particularly against children, is indicative of a disregard for bodily autonomy and the health and wellbeing of children,” said Equality Bahamas founder Alicia Wallace.

“Judges are sending a dangerous message - that even when survivors, at great expense to themselves, formally report and suffer through the court process, justice is an unlikely outcome in the current system where individuals have the power of discretion and use it to privilege criminals.”

She was among several activists who spoke to The Tribune yesterday, condemning the sentence.

The father, whose name is withheld to protect the minors’ identities, was charged with two counts of indecent assault after reportedly rubbing the genitals of one of his daughters and climbing on top of her between June and July last year.

His teenage daughter, who witnessed the incident, wept as she recounted what happened, leading him to change his plea on Friday.

Khandi Gibson, an advocate for violence victims, said he should have faced a harsher punishment.

“He should not even be able to see the sight of day outside the prison walls,” she said. “We need to send stronger, stiffer messages to these would be perpetrators.”

Free National Movement Senator Michela Barnett-Ellis also called the sentence “too lenient,” saying it sends the wrong message about the seriousness of such crimes.

“Five years, I mean that means he gets out of jail as these girls are going into puberty,” she told The Tribune yesterday. “It sends the message that this is a tap on the wrist and honestly, it’s heartbreaking.”

Under the Sexual Offences Act, a person convicted of indecent assault could face up to eight years if tried on information and three years if tried summarily.

Although the man’s lawyers initially sought a four-year sentence for the double indecent assault charge, Senior Justice Cheryl Grant-Thompson ultimately sentenced him to five years – with both Mrs Gibson and Mrs Barnett-Ellis thanking the judge for not bowing to pressure from the defence team.

“The term suggested by the attorney was too lenient but we want to see a continued increase in the term of imprisonment for crimes against women and children,” said Mrs Barnett-Ellis 

She also ordered that he be enrolled in sexual abuse counselling. Additionally, the convict was ordered to undergo a psychological evaluation and be enrolled in the prison’s work programme.

“You see these sentences and you hear comments by members of the executive and you realise that protecting women is simply not a priority,” Mrs Barnett-Ellis added.

“On more than one occasion, I’ve called for sentencing guidelines. I still haven’t gotten them yet and I am hoping that we get sentencing guidelines, we will see recommendations for stronger sentences when people are accused of sexual assault and rape.”

For her part, Ms Wallace called on the government to address the need for reparations for survivors whose lives are permanently altered by violent acts committed by perpetrators.