Dear Editor,
It is always devastating to hear that another child was raped here in Belize City. It is wrong and we do not accept it.
But have we ever looked at the real issue here? There have been cases where the child’s parents did not know, like the one a couple of weeks ago where it only came to light because the child got pregnant.
There are the instances where the parents are aware that their child is having sex and under age, but they allow it because they benefit from the relationship. We, the public, only get to know because either they stop receiving their payments, or the child gets pregnant.
On the other side, there are the instances whereby the rape was reported days, weeks or even months later, and there is little or no proof or evidence, but the person the victim says did it is instantly arrested and charged anyhow. You can be a pillar of society and someone with a grievance against you can ruin your life.
The police need to start doing their jobs because there are men who are in jail because of a lapse in police investigations, improper evidence gathering and even evidence tampering. It is not only for cases of rape; it happens in some other cases of crime in Belize as well.
The fact is that since I have known myself I was taught right from wrong, but there are situations where reports were made about individuals that were not factual. Once the female reports it, an arrest is automatic.
We can call in any other crime and the response will not be as swift as the report of abuse, or anything made by a female against a man.
What needs to happen is that when the report is proven as false, that complainant should be charged for, as the police call it, ”a mischievous act,” and the reports of rape, months later, which do not have the proper evidence should not even be entertained.
My reason for saying this is that I am a parent and a father. If you don’t know what is happening to your child, then you are not doing your job.
Thomas Charlesworth