A number of organisations and individuals picketed yesterday outside the Ministry of Health, Brickdam in protest against the unavailability of rape kits in hospitals.
The matter came to light recently after rape allegations made by women in interior areas were poorly handled by the authorities there.
The protest was led by Red Thread and supported by the Society against Sexual Orientation Dis-crimination (SASOD) and the Amerindian People’s Association (APA) along with concerned citizens.
The protestors carried placards which read: “Justice for rape victims not just lip service”, “Authorities do your job” and “Rape kits at all hospitals, justice needed.”
They said they are determined that rape kits should be available in all hospitals from the coast to the hinterland.
Joel Simpson of SASOD said, “The unavailability of the rape kit at Mahdia is a very serious situation since no kit was available to investigate and take samples of the case.” He also said that in a situation like this evidence is needed or the case would have to be dropped, as such, the victim wouldn’t be able to seek any justice. “Every hospital should have rape kits since it is essential if we are going to have proper investigations,” Simpson said.
In addition, Michael McGarrel a member of the APA said the instance of not having access to a rape kit is an ongoing thing in the interior and it cannot be tolerated any longer.
“Sexual violence is a serious thing in our country and many refuse to report their cases because they are sure they won’t receive justice, while on the other hand the state is not providing the necessary resources to the health facilities,” he said.
The same organisations had protested at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters at Eve Leary on October 1, to voice their outrage at the shortcomings in the investigation into the allegation of rape at Mahdia.
A young woman had reported last month that she was drugged and subsequently raped while she and her co-workers were celebrating a birthday on the premises of the hotel and bar where she was employed.
The woman, who hails from a small Amerindian village in Region Eight and who had been employed by the business for almost a year, had recounted she was taken to the Mahdia Hospital, where she was admitted. And she later reported the attacks to the police. Dissatisfied with the local police’s reaction to her complaint, the young woman travelled to the city where she lodged a further report at the CID Headquarters.
It was later learned that the local police did not investigate her rape claims and later sought to charge one of the men she had identified with assault.
Following complaints by local groups and the submission of photographic and other evidence by the Guyana Human Rights Associa-tion, the Director of Public Prosecutions advised the police to widen their investigation.
