(Trinidad Express) Commissioner of Police, Gary Griffith is questioning statements made by local NGO Womanatra concerning the treatment of Venezuelan women in Trinidad and Tobago.
The group recently expressed concern in an article in local newspaper citing 484 complaints of sexual assault against immigrants over a six year period.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the TTPS indicated that the Commissioner was “completely surprised,” by this claim. He said that the group had gotten the facts wrong stating that instead of 484 charges there were 484 reports of sexual assault. Of this number 57 were charged.
“He points out that Womantra mentioned 484 complaints of sexual assault by immigrants over a six-year period and that there were no arrests by the TTPS.”
“Commissioner Griffith adds, “The Eighteenth Report of the Joint Select Committee on Inquiry into the Treatment of Migrants with specific focus on Rights to Education, Employment and Protection from Sexual Exploitation states: “during the time period 2013 to 2019, out of 484 reports received, there were 57 charges,” it said.
The statement also noted that the Joint Select Committee had highlighted efforts by the TTPS to deal with these issues. The TTPS, it said, recently launched the Special Victims Department to deal with gender based violence and sexual offenses. Since the launch of the Gender Based Violence unit, the Comissioner said that members of the Unit had met with Womanatra and participated in training offered by the NGO.
Griffith said that he was surprised by the group’s decision to place blame on the TTPS.
“I’m surprised they are criticizing and blaming the TTPS. Whilst some NGOs do nothing else but put out media releases to throw blame on others, the TTPS is responding and performing. If Womantra thinks that we are silent on the matter, it simply means that they are not reading. We have done so many things to improve this aspect of policing – we have revamped the 999 and 555 system, brought on the Emergency Response Patrols (ERP), introduced the Police App, formed the Social Media Unit, and now we have on-line reporting of crimes.”
“But none of these was ever used by Womantra to assist us. Instead of dialogue and communication whereby we would have shown them their errors, they rush to do a media release filled with inaccuracies. They have lots of information, reports from family members and victims. But they have not shared anything with us, but they are quick to criticize,” he said.
He said that he has been personally involved in fighting violence against women.
“I was the one who led the raid when elderly women were kept in cages in Arouca. I am the person who is going after these brothels which are engaged in child prostitution, child pornography, human trafficking and abuse against women, in particular women from South America,” he said.
He also spoke of the recent arrest of a police officer in the case of a Venezuelan teenager who was assaulted. He said the investigation of this matter is in a sensitive state and so he will not be speak until charges are laid.
“I want them to know there is a difference between an arrest and a charge. The investigation is at a sensitive stage and I am not going to speak about it until charges have been laid,” he said.
Additionally, the statement indicated that the TTPS is involved in several active gases of gender based violence among migrants. The TTPS said it was in communications with respective embassies in dealing with these issues in the migrant population. It added that a recent meeting was held between the Living Waters Community NGO to address these complaints.
“On Thursday 23 July 2020, representatives of the GBVU met with the Living Waters Community and discussions were held in regards to the development of a Referral Pathway between Living Waters Community and the GBVU, specifically to address police complaints of gender-based violence from the migrant population. Upon approval, the Referral Pathway method will be published.”