Activists demand greater protection for women (The Tribune)

Nov. 22, 2022 – The Tribune

Equality Bahamas founder and co-director Alicia Wallace featured in The Tribune on November 22, 2022.

From The Tribune:

 When contacted for comment on the sexual assault reports, Equality Bahamas Director Alicia Wallace yesterday expressed her dismay on the treatment of women.

“Women live with the perpetual fear of rape,” she said. “We are constantly assessing our environments and, at the encouragement of others, including law enforcement, making our worlds smaller in the effort to avoid being raped.

“The reality is that we are not at fault and we do not put ourselves at risk. We are living in a world, and a country, where rape culture has become the norm.”

Ms Wallace highlighted how most rape incidents are perpetrated by men known to the women being violated. She said that women are not fully protected in their own relationships, homes, and that the ongoing conversation of marital rape has proven that.

When asked what could be done to address the issue of sexual violence in the country, Ms Wallace said: “Addressing the issue of sexual violence requires compliance with international mechanisms, including CEDAW, mandatory comprehensive sexuality education in all schools, public campaigns on gender equality and women’s rights, ongoing training for law enforcement and all professions that come into contact with survivors.”

Ms Wallace said it is not enough to be “saddened” or “horrified” by the reports of sexual violence, but rather there needs to be work done to make an active change.

“We all have the responsibility to talk to the men and boys in our lives about sexual violence and to make it clear that not only does no mean ‘no’, but only yes means ‘yes’, and consent is absolutely mandatory.”

She added that the Global 16 Days campaign will begin on Friday, with the International Day of Elimination of Violence Against Women, and Equality Bahamas has a series of events lined up, focused on the theme “Let’s End Femicide.”