Rape is a crime that, to the victim, is worse than murder. Rape destroys lives but leaves the victims living. Rape is a dehumanizing crime that robs the victim of the essence of self. Many rape victims never recover.

Generally, rape is a crime against women, though nowadays men are sometimes raped.

The law does not deal adequately with rape. Vicious, violent rape should be a capital offense. A committee of judges and citizens should review all rape cases to determine whether it is a capital rape before the trial begins. If we cannot deter these violent, inhuman crimes at least we ought to be able to get justice - spelt vengeance.

Lesser rapes should be dealt with by lesser degrees of punishment such as lashes with the cat-o-nine tail, castration, imprisonment and some forms of restitution. Serial rapists should be executed.

The government is not taking crime as seriously as it should. Those persons in Fox Hill Prison on death row should be read their death warrants immediately. It is contrary to the spirit of the law to have an Attorney General who is on the record as opposing capital punishment. To name Alfred Sears Attorney General is an insult to the families of all the victims of murder, and a last stab at the spirit of the murdered.

Appointing Alfred Sears, an avowed oponent to capital punishment, to the position of Attorney General sends a clarion call to all the violent gangsters that they have a free pass. A committed proponent of capital punishment is needed as Attorney General. The law as it relates to capital punishment should be followed without delays by the government.

Women in the Bahamas need to stand up and demand the government look out for their concerns. But the government will sit up and take note when one of their own is murdered or raped. It is only a matter of time before the chickens return home to roost. It is only a matter of time.