Crime and violence
http://www.thenassauguardian.com/editorial/307081703716799.php

The report on the Caribbean from the World Bank and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) released last week certainly doesn't play favorites with The Bahamas. The 133 in 100,000 numbers reported for rapes is said to be 10 times higher than the worldwide average of 15, placing The Bahamas at the top of the list with countries including Saudi Arabia, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Dominica, St. Kitts and Nevis, Jamaica, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Swaziland.

This is certainly not good and it is a matter that needs immediate attention from the government and the relevant authorities. It is not the kind of information that should be allowed to go unchecked, as it is certain to have an adverse effect on the country's number one bread and butter industry.

One negative report can obliterate the millions of dollars invested and the years of hard work that the Ministry of Tourism has put into advertising campaigns designed to attract visitors to these shores. And not to mention the multiplied millions of dollars that the many investors have put into property development to make their hotels, casinos, restaurants, marinas and other tourism ventures more attractive and amenable to the visitors.

In speaking about crime, violence, and development, the UNODC report says violence against women affects a significant percentage of women and girls in the Caribbean; that rape is greatly under-reported everywhere in the world, and relatively high recorded rape rates can actually be due to high levels of trust that reporting will result in positive outcomes for the victim. However, it said given the fact that most of the rapes reported did occur; high rape rates do reflect a serious problem.

The Bahamas also reports the highest rate for assaults in the data base of the United Nations Crime Trends Surveys (CTS), scoring 1,697 per 100,000 twice as high as the second highest rate recorded: 754 per 100,000 in Swaziland. The report says this high rate is probably attributable to genuinely high levels of violence, possibly affected by the tourist influx, combined with high rates of reporting to a trusted police force.

While homicide (murder) in The Bahamas does not make it to the top ranks of the report, it is still something to keep an eye on. The fact that the murder count is already at 32 in fewer than six months, says that the country is well on the way to a record year. The UNODC report states that by world standards the rates of homicide in the Caribbean are quite high and for the majority of countries for which time series data are available, homicide rates seem to be rising quite rapidly.

On coming to office on May 2, paramount in the new government's set of promises is a comprehensive plan to reduce crime and better protect Bahamian families. Among the promises outlined in the plan, the government will:

* Develop school curricula with healthy lifestyle initiatives and mentoring programs to sensitize the children to the importance of making good choices and avoiding violence as a means of conflict resolution

* Implement programs designed to tackle social problems of addiction, domestic violence and recidivism

*Promote non-violent resolution of conflicts, and

*Regularly review police requirements in all communities to ensure that the number of officers assigned is in accordance with the needs of the community.

These initiatives have to be seen to be working now. The fact that the Ministry of Tourism on Saturday refuted a previous claim that more than five million visitors had come to The Bahamas last year and also in 2005, is certainly not a good sign.

like they said "reported rapes". in muslim countries to admit rape is literally to commit suicide.

the writer seems to be more concerned about how we will be perceived
rather than how this violence is affecting us...our women and children....and how we will bring an end to the violence....

bump

bump

yup, we got plenty of them around Nassau :D

yup, we got plenty of them around Nassau :D

i thought this would have gotten more responses...
i guess all the statistcis are wrong...

I think the reason for the lack of response is that no one knows how we deal with this! Anger is the base of most crimes, including rape, and until we know what is making people so angry, the situation will not improve. Having lived in two other countries for as many years as I have lived in The Bahamas, I do not understand what makes people here so angry.

Materialism does not help. People want so much...big house, bigger car, gold jewellry, designer clothes and most salaries don't allow for that kind of expense. Women are angry with men and with each other, men are angry with women and with each other! They are creating angry children who, beaten for every little thing, learn that violence is the way to deal with conflict. I heard a mother say to her son the other day "I do not pay those high school fees for you to fr.....ing talk like an a.." I was amazed and so wanted to ask her how she can expect her son to speak properly when she herself is using that kind of language. But I did not dare....she would have given me a mouthful too.....anger again!

Even though there are people here living in a sense of hopelessness, this country generally is a lot more pleasant to live in than most others. Most people do not realize how blessed they are to have been born here.

Maybe this will get other members going!!

I think the reason for the lack of response is that no one knows how we deal with this! Anger is the base of most crimes, including rape, and until we know what is making people so angry, the situation will not improve. Having lived in two other countries for as many years as I have lived in The Bahamas, I do not understand what makes people here so angry.
Materialism does not help. People want so much...big house, bigger car, gold jewellry, designer clothes and most salaries don't allow for that kind of expense. Women are angry with men and with each other, men are angry with women and with each other! They are creating angry children who, beaten for every little thing, learn that violence is the way to deal with conflict. I heard a mother say to her son the other day "I do not pay those high school fees for you to fr.....ing talk like an a.." I was amazed and so wanted to ask her how she can expect her son to speak properly when she herself is using that kind of language. But I did not dare....she would have given me a mouthful too.....anger again!
Even though there are people here living in a sense of hopelessness, this country generally is a lot more pleasant to live in than most others. Most people do not realize how blessed they are to have been born here.
Maybe this will get other members going!!

thank you...
i agree anger and frustration are at the root of the problem....

thank you...
i agree anger and frustration are at the root of the problem....


this is going to sound like a broken record......BUT.....

i strongly believe that it all starts in the home.

if u aren't taught how to live amongst your own family members....how to treat them with respect....how to respect yourself....who else do you think is going to teach that to you?

it shouldn't be the school's job to TEACH your child manners, and respect. they should be ENHANCING on the lessons taught at home.

we need to start making these parents accountable for their actions. it's more to being a parent than making a kid. RAISE ya own damn children. stop expecting other people to do it for u. jeez. and listen, if ya don't have the TIME or MONEY to raise your kids 'right'......STOP MAKING 'EM. children aren't going outta style. when you have your act together, then by all means....populate this nation. but if you can't be a RESPONSIBLE parent, then keep your legs closed or your appendage in your pants.

this is going to sound like a broken record......BUT.....

i strongly believe that it all starts in the home.

if u aren't taught how to live amongst your own family members....how to treat them with respect....how to respect yourself....who else do you think is going to teach that to you?

it shouldn't be the school's job to TEACH your child manners, and respect. they should be ENHANCING on the lessons taught at home.

we need to start making these parents accountable for their actions. it's more to being a parent than making a kid. RAISE ya own damn children. stop expecting other people to do it for u. jeez. and listen, if ya don't have the TIME or MONEY to raise your kids 'right'......STOP MAKING 'EM. children aren't going outta style. when you have your act together, then by all means....populate this nation. but if you can't be a RESPONSIBLE parent, then keep your legs closed or your appendage in your pants.

when young adults and adults live at home...or children and adults live in etended family models then young people learn to have authority, recognize authority and respect authority and others....