Handling of rape cases irks Montague
OPPOSITION senator, Robert Montague, has asked the Government to produce details of the number of rape cases reported in 2012 and 2013, as well as the clear-up rate for both years.
Senator Montague also wants the Government to explain how many rape kits have remained in the possession of the police to be tested, which had still not been tested up to May 30.
The opposition’s senator’s interest in the untested rape kits was triggered by the revelation last week in the United States, that in a number of cities police have left thousands of rape kits untested for years for DNA evidence, which could have helped to convict the perpetrators.
He said that he was concerned that Jamaica was being numbered among countries which may not be following up on rape kits’ DNA tests.
The US State Department’s Travel.State.Gov website claims that “sexual assault allegations generally do not receive the same type of law enforcement attention in Jamaica that they would in the United States”.
According to the website, Jamaican laws require the presence of victims at each stage of the judicial process, in order for a case to move forward and, as a result, “most sexual assault cases languish in the Jamaican courts until they are eventually dismissed”.
“In addition, victims in Jamaica cannot expect the totality of victim’s assistance that is routinely offered in the United States. This includes hesitation to and/or lack of knowledge of how to perform rape kits, a prosecutorial/interrogation approach to victims on the part of the police and hotels, as well as a lack of counselling for victims,” the site states.
A rape kit consists of small boxes, microscope slides and plastic bags for collecting and storing evidence such as clothing fibers, hairs, saliva, semen or body fluid, which may help identify the assailant and provide evidence supporting prosecution in a criminal trial.
Montague told the Sunday Observer after Friday’s sitting of the Senate, that his concern was also raised by low clear-up rate figures for rape cases in Jamaica, and the Government’s failure to bring the long-awaited DNA Bill to Parliament.
“It is a very traumatic issue, but it is obvious that the Government is giving it a low priority,” he said.
Montague’s list of questions tabled in the Senate on Friday were:
(1) Will the Minister state how many cases of rape were reported and recorded in Jamaica for the periods January 2012 to December 2012, and January 2013 to May 2013?
(2) Will Minister state how many of these reported rapes, for the above periods, have had a suspect charged and the matter turned over to the courts for trial?
(3) Of the remaining cases, not in the courts, will the Minister state, how many of these reported rapes have a suspect identified?
(4) Are rape kits prepared for all reported rapes in Jamaica?
(5) If the answer to the above is no or not all cases, will the Minister state what are the three main reasons why rape kits are not prepared?
(6) Are all rape kits, prepared that are to be tested and are DNA tests conducted?
(7) Will the Minister state how many suspects have been identified during the above-mentioned periods, as a result of DNA profiling?
(8) What is the policy of the Government with regards to the testing of rape kits for DNA, and other matters?
(9) Please state how many rape kits are in the possession of the authorities, to be tested and they have not yet been tested, up to May 30, 2013?
(10) If there is a backlog of rape kits to be tested, please state the planned period in which they will be tested and at what costs?