N.C.F.C. wants stronger penalties for sex crimes against children

pearl stuart

In related news, sexual exploitation and assault of children are offences that have been on the rise over the past few years.  But the penalties that accompany crimes have not deterred the criminal element from carrying out their acts.  So, now one agency that champions the rights of children is trying to see if it can cause the Government to put more teeth to the existing laws on all types of sexual crimes against children, including offenses committed for commercial gain.  And if the National Committee for Families and Children has its way, perpetrators of sexual offences against children should beware.

Pearl Stuart, Executive Dir., N.C.F.C.

“The Bill, which like is said, will be embedded within the Anti-trafficking in Persons Act, should be on the desk of the Cabinet or be presented to the Cabinet by the end of August, this month.  We feel it’s most important that this takes place, it’s an act of abusing our children that is the worst possible because at times it could be perpetrated by parents, and anyone.  We’ll be looking at the offenses of whomever is involved in perpetrating.  Like I said it could be parents, it could be traffickers, it could step-parents, it could be anyone that in fact perpetrate against a child.  Penalties would be both financial and jail time. Currently, its serving a minimum of one year to a maximum of five with a fine being paid of ten thousand.  We’re looking at changing that to in fact have a minimum of five years to life imprisonment.  And the reason we have such a large spectrum is that each perpetrator is within a trafficking, whereas you have somebody that solicits, you have someone that actually exploits—going up the ladder, so to speak.  So if you only point out the person you may only get five years but let’s say you’re the one that financially gained you would probably end up going to prison for life.  There’s also no fine attached because the idea is then you can buy way out of this situation.  What we’re also looking at is that there be restitution to victims of trafficking.  We’re also looking at perhaps confiscation of monies earned by in fact trafficking these individuals.  Now we looked at the current carnal knowledge laws that we have and within that carnal knowledge laws, we have under fourteen you can get up to twelve years for having carnal knowledge with a child.  Between fourteen and sixteen it’s a minimum of five years to a maximum of ten. As far as I am concerned they have totally violated that child’s life and if in essence they don’t have a life then this person should also have their life behind bars.”

Later this month, a symposium will be held in Belize City to raise awareness against the sexual exploitation of children.