Rape on the rise

Glenroy Sinclair and Livern Barrett, Staff Reporters

Last Tuesday, a 16-year-old girl from a prominent Corporate Area high school was abducted and raped while on her way home. She was later dumped from the vehicle on the streets of downtown Kingston.

The following Saturday, another teenager was held at gunpoint and raped in east Kingston. Less than a month ago, a police advisory warned women and girls to stay away from a car park, near Ocean Boulevard in downtown Kingston, where at least four incidents of rape were reported within a six-week period.

Informed police sources told The Gleaner that in two of the incidents, a motorist was held up and his girlfriend taken away and raped.

In the other incident, a pedal cyclist held a young teenager at knifepoint, took her away and raped her.

Plans to counter spike

Concerned about an increase in the incidents of rape that were reported last year, Police Commissioner Owen Ellington yesterday revealed a number of measures that have been put in place to spark a reversal.

Police statistics show that 748 incidents of rape were recorded last year, a six per cent jump when compared with the 704 cases that were reported in 2010. The police recorded 701 rape cases in 2009.

In a year when murders, shootings and cases of carnal abuse declined by between 13 per cent and 22 per cent, rape was the only category of serious crimes to record an increase last year.

In an attempt to stem this increase, Ellington said additional police personnel were transferred to the Centre for Investigation of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse last week.

"We are looking at strengthening the investigative capacity right across the force, so that we can do better investigations and we can respond more to the sensitivities of victims of those sexual assaults," Ellington explained during a press conference at the Police Officers' Club in St Andrew.

In addition, he said the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) has conducted a strategic assessment of sexual assaults and promised that the findings would be made public soon.

"We will be educating our public on measures they can take to reduce the risk of victimisation," Ellington emphasised.

The commissioner said the JCF would also use local youth clubs and other such groups to integrate its community safety and policing operations.

He said this was to create the kind of environment that would not only deter would-be aggressors, but also raise the confidence levels of those individuals who are at risk.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Ealan Powell, who also spoke at the press conference, explained that more persons are coming forward to report incidents of rape due to greater collaboration among the police, the Child Development Agency, medical facilities and various non-governmental organisations.

"But a lot of these cases are being cleared and the offenders identified," declared Powell, the head of the Criminal Investigation Branch.

The following safety tips should be practised:

1. Walk in groups.

2. Do not accept rides from strange motorists.

3. Try and attract attention to yourself by screaming if you believe you are being abducted.

4. If you believe you are being followed, walk in a well lit area.

5. Refrain from using areas as a romantic rendezvous.

6. Be aware of your surroundings and avoid being distracted by your cellphone or any other electronic device.

Anyone who notices any suspicious activities should call the police 119 emergency number immediately.