Sexual Offences Act review should include stricter penalties for crimes against children, says advocacy group

Spokesperson for child advocacy group Hear The Children’s Cry, Priscillia Duhaney, is renewing calls for lawmakers to impose stricter penalties for individuals who commit sexual offences against children.

Her comments follow a disclosure by National Security Minister, Dr Horace Chang, that Cabinet will shortly receive recommendations for review of the Sexual Offences Act, including the Sex Offender Registry.

Speaking Tuesday on Radio Jamaica’s Beyond the Headlines, Chang said the legal department of the Ministry of Justice is wrapping up its review of the law, and the recommendations should be received in "one of the next two Cabinet meetings."

While acknowledging that the review of the Sexual Offences Act has been long overdue, Duhaney said she is encouraged to see progress finally being made.

However, she emphasised that the process must prioritise the protection of children.

“We’ve been having these discussions for over 50 years now, so we want to see action. It’s one thing to review them, but that at these sessions for review and discussions, it won’t be politicised, it’s not a matter of who brought it to the table and who is going to be given the credit. We are looking for having the children and their well-being as paramount,” she said.

She expressed concern about crimes against children, particularly during Child Month, when their well-being should be celebrated and protected.

More than 150 children under age 17 were murdered while just over 4,000 were sexually assaulted in Jamaica over the five-year period that ended last year.

The partially nude body of nine-year-old Kelsey Ferrigon, which bore signs of physical abuse, was found dead inside a barrel at her home on Jobs Lane in Spanish Town, St Catherine last Friday.

A person of interest, Giovannie Ellis, was killed on Monday in an alleged police shoot-out.

Duhaney questioned whether the renewed interest in the Sexual Offences Act and Sexual Offenders Registry is a knee-jerk reaction to cases like these, instead of a sustained effort towards reform.

“It’s very unfortunate that we are only reacting to the cries of our children and our nation. But we are really experiencing a crisis, and at the very least, we can say we are appreciative of this response at the moment, but we are still hoping for the best because having the meetings and review won’t necessarily guarantee the results that we are looking for,” she said.

- Sashana Small

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