Victim cooperation remains biggest hurdle in sexual offence prosecutions — DPP

Securing the cooperation of victims remains the greatest challenge in prosecuting sexual offence cases for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), despite increased reports.

Speaking with reporters on the sidelines of an event on Wednesday, DPP Communications Officer Liz Rahaman said sexual offences are often committed in private, leaving prosecutors heavily dependent on victims to provide evidence in court.

“The DPP faces challenges, a lot of challenges in the sexual offences to get victims themselves to come forward and give the evidence,” Rahaman said.

She explained that unlike many other crimes, sexual offences are typically committed away from public view, making victim testimony critical to the prosecution’s case.

“Sexual offences when they are committed they are committed in private, in the dark, outside of witnesses seeing, so if that victim does not wish to proceed with the matter…it places the DPP in a very difficult position and that is the main challenge which the DPP faces,” she explained.

Rahaman said the DPP Chambers has been working to address that challenge through continuous public education campaigns conducted across Guyana’s 10 administrative regions, with a particular focus on hinterland communities.

According to her, the outreach programme aims to educate members of the public on sexual offences and domestic violence while encouraging victims and their families to report incidents to the Guyana Police Force.

“The aim and objective is to educate people on the sexual offences and domestic violence matters,” she said.

Rahaman noted that the awareness campaign has also sought to dispel the misconception that only girls are victims of sexual offences.

“Sexual offences are not only being committed to our girl children anymore, they are being committed on our boy children across the board and the only way we can ensure that they become more aware is if we continue our public awareness,” she said.

She explained that the outreach sessions teach children and parents how to identify sexual offences, including those committed by relatives, caregivers and other trusted individuals.

“It is aimed at sensitising them as to what the elements of sexual offences are. Somebody does something, entice them or whatever, they must know it is a sexual offence — whether that crime is being committed within their own homes… by their own family members or people close to them, people in a position of trust… whomever we place our children in the care of, parents must know what can happen,” Rahaman explained.

She added that the sustained public education programme has contributed to an increase in reports being made to the police.

“Over the recent years we have had numerous police files being sent to the DPP’s office for sexual offences being committed, being reported more and more to the Guyana Police Force in all the regions and we can safely say it is as a result of our public education programme that we are continuing to sensitize our people.

More people have become more and more aware of the importance of going to the Guyana Police Force and reporting these crimes,” Rahaman said.