RED THREAD APPLAUDS WORK OF SEXUAL OFFENSES COURT

As the Demerara Assizes re-opens, Founder of Red Thread Karen De Souza says that with the establishment of a Sexual Offenses Court, victims of rape and other sexual offenses have a platform to give evidence without fear. Javone Vickerie reports.

In an exclusive interview with Founder of Red Thread Karen De Souza, she observed that most of the sexual offense cases in the January Session of the Demerara Assizes are cases that were not completed in previous judicial proceedings.

The January 2019 Demerara Assizes, which began on Tuesday, will see 150 persons facing rape and other sexual offense trials. De Souza, however, opined that because rape is still a bailable offense, in many cases, those accused of rape use the opportunity granted by bail to flee the jurisdiction to escape prosecution.

De Souza expressed gratitude that with the opening of the sexual offenses court, victims of rape and sexual assaults are now provided with a space and mechanism to provide sensitive evidence in the court.

She further noted that in terms of how reports of rape are dealt with, there has been a major improvement in the way these cases are handled, treated and even prosecuted.