THE last six weeks have seen the justice system of Guyana responding condignly with sentences for the abominable and reprehensible criminal offence of sexual violence.

These sentences were given as follows: 45 years for a child rapist; another child rapist jailed for life, with parole eligibility after 45 years; two life sentences for rape of a child family member, with an order of 40 years to be served before consideration of parole; another jailed for life for the sexual violation of a senior citizen; another for 40 years after invading the victim’s home and committing the dastardly act at knife point; and another for 40 years for committing the act on an under-aged teen.

Except in one instance where remorse was shown and an apology given to the court and victim, none of the other five offered as much as a basic “sorry.’’ In fact, the violator of the aged woman even laughed and mocked at his victim, who cared for him as her son. What an age in which we live, that such a debauched act can be perpetrated against a woman who mothered him. These are indeed very condign sentences, reflecting the judiciary’s dreadful displeasure at a mode of masculine behaviour that is at epidemic proportions in our country.

First of all, the effects of sexual violence go far beyond individual survivors, impacting their closest relationships as well as impacting communities and our society at large. With the dispensation of justice, the victims have received their due of rightful justice; and even though they will all bear the scars of such brutal emotional trauma for the rest of their lives, they can live with the satisfaction that their attackers are in jail, where they will spend very significant time, should they survive incarceration.

Second, the court’s action signals that it is prepared and ready to act in the name of justice, providing that where initial reports are made to the investigating authorities, that the necessary steps for preparation for adjudication are thoroughly and properly done, and that the victim is prepared to attend court. For without the victim’s presence for evidence, or deciding to withdraw same – the allegation will be dismissed, amounting to a waste of the court’s time.

Third, for those other victims who because of the trauma and shame felt because of similar horrendous experience, these given sentences should give them the courage to report their attackers to law enforcement so that they can have justice. There is no statute of limitations or time factor for these offences to be reported. We stand to be corrected when we say that the Gaol Delivery is virtually one half of alleged sexual accused for trial. And this is reflective of, for example, the annual report from the Child Care and Protection Agency that reports in excess of two thousand cases of child abuse and neglect of which a significant percentage was sexual abuse. We shudder to think about those that have not been reported.

It is grievous that the very young, who traditionally must be protected by male family members and whose trust they innocently accept, are being raped by these very betrayers, without any compunction and thought given to what their opprobrious action will mean to these innocents who will suffer both mentally and physically for virtually most of their lives in many cases.

Sexual violence is an indescribably devastating experience for any adult; but to perpetrate such on children as young as three years old, as has been recently alleged against an ex-policeman, or against an eight-month old baby, as reported in another jurisdiction, describes a severe crisis among such a detestable category of males. These are definitely outside of the pale of humanity, belonging to another grouping for another place. Morally, these acts of sexual violence attest to the sad fact of the general male species being reduced to a sickening distorted view of their role in the family especially; no more as protector, but as lascivious predators on those whom it is their duty to give love, guidance, and above all, protection. They have become the abysmal and shameless betrayers of such a trust.