SUPERINTENDENT of police in charge of St Mary, Bobbette Morgan Simpson, has described the recent increase in domestic violence and sexual offences in the parish as a “sad situation” which remains a sore point on her list of things needing urgent attention.

“Domestic violence may be between intimate partners; however, the women in these cases are failing to report their partners. While we see another increase in domestic violence which involves family members,” she said.

Morgan Simpson pointed out that the failure to report their partners may arise from their monetary contribution to the household. She highlighted that oftentimes the partners infiltrate their under-age daughters

“In these relationships the women do not report the perpetrators as they are afraid of losing the income that comes in and will oftentimes tell the children they are lying. It’s indeed a sad situation.”

Morgan Simpson outlined that many of these sexual offences are being committed against minors between the ages of four to 14.

“These crimes are being committed by big men. Men in their 70s and 60s. This is not a good feeling,” the superintendent said.

Giving credit to her police officers who have been working assiduously to keep the crime rate down in the parish, Morgan Simpson said: “The officers in the division are working hard to resolve some of these crimes committed in the parish, one such example is the case of Kurt Griffiths who had abscond bail but was later held and is now before the courts for the crime he had committed.”