A Seminar for Gender-Based Violence Reporting and Monitoring

Dorla Bowman

A gender-based violence seminar was held today in Belize City. The purpose of the event was to discuss and share ways to enhance the reporting, monitoring and surveillance of gender-based violence in Belize. The all day event featured an in depth discussion on the framework for combating this growing problem. Presenter Dorla Bowman of the Building People Movement spoke about the sexual offences model legislation bill and where it fits into this wide discussion.

Dorla Bowman, Founder, BPM

“Presently sexual offences laws and many other laws are found under the summary offences jurisdiction act and the criminal code. The proposed sexual offences bill aims at one comprehensive document with all the laws regarding to what sexual conduct is criminalized in Belize. We are proposing creation offence of sexual assault; removal of the restriction to the law of marital rape; creation of cyber crimes laws; increase in penalties for sexual offences and also making the laws gender neutral and looking at protocols, services and resources for the implementation of the laws.”