Government backbencher and medical practitioner Dr Sonia Browne has called on those involved in the local justice system to “do better” for children who have been victimised by sexual predators.
Browne, who resigned from the post of Minister within the Ministry of Health earlier this year, said she was a self-proclaimed advocate for the underdog. She said it was “heart wrenching” to witness the extensive delays in adjudicating these matters in the court system.
The St Philip North Member of Parliament was speaking on Tuesday in the House of Assembly where the chamber debated a resolution on the Report of the Joint Select Committee (Standing) on Social Sector and Environment on Child Justice Bill 2023.
In an emotional presentation to the House, Dr Browne revealed that she had encountered cases in her practice of minors who were raped, sometimes by family members, strangers, or even a parent.
She lamented matters had been reported to police who investigated and those involved had to “sit and wait” for the court cases to be heard, which in some cases took as many as seven years to be addressed.
“In some instances, it has taken seven years. We need to do better. We have people who in their 20s come to the conclusion that the issue was their fault.
“We cannot allow our children to go through this system. We have to do better. There is nothing more heart wrenching than to see a six-year-old abused . . . and a case 12 years later they are an adult and got fed up; can’t remember well and [the case] is essentially thrown out,” the medical doctor told the Lower Chamber.
In her contribution, the St Philip North MP made a call for more female police officers who are trained to deal with such sensitive cases.
She also said there was a need for more female doctors assigned to handle police cases. She said often sexual assault victims would rather be attended to by a female doctor following such sex crime reports rather than a male medical practitioner. (IMC)
