“OUTRIGHT LIE”: Activist says advocacy groups vocal about marital rape issue (Eyewitness News)
Equality Bahamas founder and co-director, Alicia Wallace featured in Eyewitness News on October 18, 2022.
From Eyewitness News:
“What the press secretary said is an outright lie and we are certain that it is intentional that he is making this comment as he did mischaracterizing work of feminists organizations, of women’s rights organizations, painting the picture that we are inactive or that we are silent.” Wallace said.
She added that The Bahamas will, in several months report to the Human Rights Council and following that, to The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), and the government is expected to uphold the policies of those entities having signed on to them.
Wallace continued: ”So the government has to submit its report, it has to speak for itself and give a reason as for why it doesn’t meet some obligations why it isn’t in full compliance
“So we are certain that Clint Watson is making these statements clearly knowing that they are untrue with the intent of creating this excuse and with the intent also the f trying to discourage activists.”
Watson claimed that activists were ‘silent’ on the marital rape issue implying that government would only act if they hear the cries of the people.
Wallace said that her organization has been persistent for months in communication with the government on issues surrounding the proposed marital rape legislation.
”Activists have been speaking up on this issue for years as the press Secretary and someone who was once a part of the fourth estate we know that he is very aware of statements that have been made by equality Bahamas. […] and anyone who is worth their salt working in the government, particularly on issues of human rights will know all of this,” she said.
Wallace told Eyewitness News that policymakers need to be more accountable for following through with their commitments with international human rights organizations and taking a stance against ‘marital rape’ is in line with those policies.
Watson claimed that activists were ‘silent’ on the marital rape issue implying that government would only act if they hear the cries of the people.