Munroe: “Call It Something Other Than Rape”

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Minister of National Security Wayne Munroe says if the goal of criminalizing marital rape is to get convictions, then the government better call it something other than rape. Munroe says married jurors won’t be willing to convict a married person of marital rape.

Jared Higgs tells us more.

Munroe originally made the comments while addressing the men’s branch of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) on Sunday. Speaking to reporters outside a community center walkabout, Monday, he suggested married jurors would be reluctant to convict other married people for raping their spouses.

The wording of section three of The Bahamas Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Act of 1991 precludes persons under the age of 14, and spouses, from being guilty of rape.

At the PLP meeting, several crowd members expressed opposition to criminalizing marital rape.  At one point, one audience member disagreed saying he viewed rape as rape whether married or not.

Another woman in the crowd who identified herself as Carolyn Strachan suggested people who don’t have high sex drives should reconsider whether they ought to get married.

Munroe also suggested government may want to seek the will of the people on the issue. He also notes the country has committed to criminalizing marital rape on previous occasions.