By ALICIA WALLACE

Was there ever a time that sexual violence against women and girls was shocking? Were there days that people were outraged at the men who violated women and girls? Do you remember a time when there were no questions about “cause” and no suggestion that women and girls could possibly do or say anything that would result in rape? Did people, at large, ever understand that only rapists cause rape? Has there ever been a clear understanding, among the general public, that rape is completely distinct from sex and void of consent?

Does it seem, to you, as though sexual violence has been normalised in The Bahamas? Have the masses somehow accepted sexual violence as an experience that most women and girls will have since there is no action to address it? Are people content to do what they believe is managing risk at the individual or household level rather than taking action or demanding action to address rape culture and the prevalence of sexual violence in The Bahamas? Are people convinced that sexual violence will never affect them?

Children are being sexually assaulted by parents. Children are being sexually assaulted by teachers. Children are being sexually assaulted by peers. Children are being raped. Children are being raped by people they are taught to trust. Children are being raped by people they depend on for their most basic needs. Children are being raped by people in their age groups. This is happening every day, all over the country, to children of all ages.

There have been at least six reports of rape involving minors in the news over the past week.

“Teacher accused of molesting two students.” A 52-year-old man is accused of molesting two students—a 12-year-old and a 15-year-old—in Exuma over a two-year period. At least one of the incidents took place in a classroom. David Cecil King has been charged with indecent assault. He is to be remanded to Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until the voluntary bail of indictment is served in September 2025.

“Man arraigned in teen girl sex assault case.” Renard Rolle, at 22 years old, sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl on multiple occasions within a one-month period. He has been charged with unlawful sexual intercourse. He is not in custody. He is to be electronically monitored and check in at Central Police Station every Monday by 7pm, and he is to return to court in September 2025.

“Man charged with unlawful sexual intercourse with 11-year-old girl.” Ric’cardo Taylor, a 33-year-old man, is accused of molesting a girl. He has been charged with unlawful sexual intercourse. It is alleged that he also inappropriately touched the girl on multiple occasions. He is to be remanded to Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until the voluntary bail of indictment is served in September 2025.

“Man accused of attempting to rape 17-year-old girl in Inagua.” Jaden Knowles, at the age of 26, was charged with attempted rape and assault with intent to rape. He will be in custody at Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until a voluntary bill of indictment is served in August 2025.

“Ten years plea deal for rapist stepdad.” The 36-year-old man drugged and raped his 17-year-old stepdaughter. When he suspected that she was pregnant, he forced her to drink Guinness and castor oil in an attempt to end the pregnancy. The girl said he threatened to kill her if she told anyone that he was raping her. He was charged with two counts of unlawful sexual intercourse and sentenced to ten years in prison.

“Teen charged with rape of 17-year-old girl.” He was charged with rape and has will be held at the Simpson Penn Centre for Boys until August 2025 when the voluntary bill of indicted is served.

Going to school does not protect children. Staying at home does not protect them. Being with siblings does not protect them. Spending time with friends does not protect them. The relationships they have with the adults they see on a daily or almost-daily basis do not inspire the level of trust that lets them know it is safe to report what is happening. Children who experience sexual assault are not only not convinced that they will be believed, but they do not know, for certain, that they will be supported.

When children are sexually assaulted and unable to report, the education system is a failure. It has failed and continues to fail to equip children for the world that is constantly being made less safe for them. Even if they know the difference between a good touch and a bad touch, children are routinely bullied into deferring to and respecting adults which is equated with silence and acquiescence. They are trained out of being attentive to and responding to their own instincts. They are made to feel silly or called rude for talking about their discomfort with people, situations, or activities. Children are taught that they cannot trust their feelings because adults do not trust or value their feelings. They are also made responsible for the feelings of adults, and they learn to deprioritise themselves and their own safety. This has been done to make parenting and teaching easier for parents, guardians, and teachers, but we see the consequences now.

Comprehensive sexuality education is needed in all schools and at all levels. The content of the curriculum varies from one grade to the next, so that all students receive age-appropriate information. Children need to know about consent and it needs to be demonstrated to them that they have the right (and permission) to exercise consent. It must be taught, at an early age, that children can say “no” and it is not the same as being rude or disobedient. They have to be able to say no to physical content with anyone, including family members, teachers, friends, and the associates of their parents and guardians. They have to know that telling an adult when something or someone makes them feel uncomfortable will result in actions that keep them safe and, importantly, will not result in them being ridiculed, guilted, or punished.

Getting older does not automatically result in more knowledge or deeper understanding. A child who was not allowed to say “no” and was forced to sit on someone’s lap at the age of six cannot be expected to say “no” and report a teacher who touches her inappropriately at the age of 11. She remembers what happened when she was five, and likely many times after. She has learned that she cannot trust her own feelings, that her own feelings do not matter, and/or that it is easier to go along with whatever adults want. A dangerous “standard” has been set for children, and predators take advantage of it every day.

We have a responsibility to the children in this country. We have many changes to make across all spheres, and these changes will take a long time and sizable investments before we see the effects. In the short term, however, we can foster health relationship-building, communication, and self-esteem in children while teaching them that their bodies belong only to them. We need to enable children to recognise the signs in their bodies when they are anxious or uncomfortable, encourage them to speak the truth, and help them to identify people they can trust to support them.

Children spend most of their waking hours in school, so children must receive theses messages and tools in school and be able to practice in the classroom and on the playground. This, of course, needs to be reinforced at home. We must recognize, however, that every household and every family is different. While all schools are different, we can standardise curricula, systems, and practices, and we must do it for the wellbeing of all children. Education must not exclude the topics and the tools that can help children to recognize unsafe people and situations, say “no,” and report sexual violence to people who can support them. Comprehensive sexuality education is necessary and must be mandatory in all schools at all levels. Equally critical is a change in the way respect and obedience are framed by authority figures, shifting to a framework that acknowledges the personhood of children and does not rob them of the ability to feel, assess, and respond in age-appropriate ways.

RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Butter: A Novel of Food and Murder by Asako Yuzuki. Strange fiction is having a moment right now. There are dozens of new releases every month that have unique features, from characters and settings to plots and style. A review said, “Although inspired by the real case of the convicted con woman and serial killer, “The Konkatsu Killer”, it is the writing, plotting and characters of Asako Yuzuki that takes this book to another level. The sole woman in her news office, Rika Machida, becomes the first journo to get gourmet cook and convicted serial killer of lonely older men, Manako Kajii (a woman detested as much for not being conventionally pretty and slim, as for her serial killing) communicating by solely writing and talking about her cooking. As Rika pursues each recipe and complimentary steers from Kajii, she begins to change as her palate is opened to the the tastes of real butter and succulent foods.” Feminist Book Club, hosted by Equality Bahamas and Poinciana Paper Press is reading Butter this month. Join the meeting on Wednesday, June 18 at Poinciana Paper Press, 12 Parkgate Gate, to discuss the book. For updates on Feminist Book Club, sign up at tiny.cc/fbc2025.

2. Your Friends & Neighbors. This television show, in its first season, adds comedy to what could have been a rather ordinary drama. A hedge fund manager is fired. This comes after his divorce and while he continues to struggle to accept that his ex-wife is happily continuing her relationship with the friend with whom she had an affair. His career had been successful, and he increased his expenses with every new positions and raise, and now it is more uncomfortable than ever before. He does not know what to do, especially since he does not want anyone to know that he was fire, much less the reason for it. Unpredictably, he decided to steal from his friends and neighbours who are so rich and secure that they do not exactly go to great lengths to protect their property. Easy fixes like this one, of course, do not come without complications, so Coop has many waves to ride as he tries to keep up appearances and maintain relationships.