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Solomon Star

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SOLOMON ISLANDS - SEXUAL ABUSES OF WOMEN & CHILDREN - HIGHEST OFFENCES IN PAST YEAR

 

02 February 2012 

 

Sexual offence in relation to abuse of women and children has dominated the total number of offences recorded in the past legal year.

According to the Chief Justice’s report during the official opening of the 2012 legal year last week, Sir Albert Palmer outlined in a chart the dominance of sexual offences with other offending types.

The chart titled ‘Offending Type’ was categorized under three types of offences namely sexual offending, violent offending and other offending.

The chart showed sexual offending which includes rape, attempted rape, incest and indecent assault as the highest with 50 percent, violent offending which includes murder, manslaughter, attempted murder, assault and robbery 43 percent while other offending which includes arson, money laundering, false declarations, embezzlement and larceny & conversion with only seven percent.

Sir Albert stated that sitting at 50 percent of the current criminal workload and without any detailed analysis the chart clearly indicates the unacceptable abuse of women and children in Solomon Islands.

“In light of these figures as Chief Justice, I have required the Cross Agency Case Listing Committee to give priority to the disposal of cases involving female and children victims.

“This should also apply in the Magistrates’ Court and as much as possible such cases should be given priority by all stakeholders.

“As the weaker and more vulnerable members of our community, this abuse should not be tolerated by anyone,” Sir Albert said.

He said it was timely that the theme for the 2011 Law Week was ‘Safety for all. Stop all forms of Violence’, and as a sexual offence could be categorized as an act of violence against women and children, the High Court has a workload where 93 percent of the criminal cases involve the use of some sort of violence.

He commended and thanked community groups and NGO’s that assist people in prevention, accessing services and providing assistance to those victims of violence and thanked them for the service they provided.

“However, it should not be limited to those groups as every member of the community can take part in ensuring the community is safe and free from violence including church leaders, village elders, village communities, city dwellers, children, women, teachers, doctors and nurses and the list goes on.

“Every single person in a community can contribute to a safer community,” He said.

By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN