Dr Twomey discusses proposed Sexual Offences Bill with NA’s women caucus |16 July 2021
The meeting in full swing (Photo: Joena Meme)
The women parliamentary caucus of the National Assembly has officially been presented with copies of the proposed Sexual Offences Bill and the report on enhancing Child Protection in Seychelles.
This took place during a meeting between members of the caucus and the chairperson of the Child Law Reform Committee (CLRC), Dr Mathilda Twomey, at the National Assembly, Ile Du Port, yesterday morning.
During the meeting, Dr Twomey briefed the parliamentarians on the content of the report and the different recommendations made as well as on the different legal clauses being proposed under the Sexual Offences Bill.
The aim of the meeting was to discuss how best the committee can work with Dr Twomey and her team to bring awareness and help victims of child abuse and at the same time understand what can be done to enforce the law.
Dr Twomey began the meeting by noting that even though she is the only one presenting the proposed bill she is not alone as there is a committee which compromises Attorney General Frank Ally; Seychelles’ Ambassador for Children, Dr Erna Athanasius; principal secretary for social affairs Linda William-Melanie and psychologist Catriona Monthy who all worked extensively in drafting the Sexual Offences Bill.
The purpose of this new bill is to comprehensively and extensively review and amend all aspects of laws and the implementation of laws relating to sexual offences, and to deal with all legal aspects of or relating to sexual offences in a single statute. There are 11 chapters in the new Sexual Offences Bill Proposed Model Law and for the offence of rape, the sentence proposed is life imprisonment.
Following the meeting, Dr Twomey told Seychelles NATION that she explained the content of the bill as well as what they learned during their research on sexual assault in Seychelles.
“We talked about the new offences as well as the penalties which we hope will be passed by the National Assembly. We also talked about how sexual abuse happens in households where many people are living and that there is still a stigma when it comes to reporting that abuse,” said Dr Twomey.
Dr Twomey also noted that the women caucus has promised to support the bill as they themselves have noticed what is going on in their community.
The next step of the bill will be to present it to the communities where people will be able to give their input, it will then be sent to the Attorney General's office and then be brought to the assembly.
The chairperson of the women parliamentary caucus, Hon. Regina Esparon noted that the meeting was very insightful as it gave them the opportunity to sit down with Dr Twomey and discuss the bill as well as the study they conducted.
“This meeting today has helped us understand the extent of this issue in the community and it will also help us legislate the law when the bill is brought to the assembly,” said MNA Esparon.
She also added that in the past sexual assault cases fell under the civil code, however when the law is passed the Sexual Offences Bill will make provision for sexual abuse cases against children as well as close some loopholes that exist in the civil law regarding sexual assault cases.
Hon. Esparon further added that when the bill is brought to the assembly all members will have an input, however yesterday’s meeting involved only the women parliamentary caucus as topics regarding children fall under the purview of this caucus.
She ended by saying that she will give her full support to the bill.
