NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Police Commissioner Clayton Fernander has revealed that officials have recorded an 11 per cent increase in rape incidents in 2023 when compared to 2022; statistics for the first quarter of 2024 were not readily available when he was pressed by media during a press briefing held at the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) headquarters Monday morning.
The revelation comes on the heels of women’s rights activists not only calling for stiffer penalties for those who commit these crimes against women; but, they have also bolstered their appeal for government to make good on its promise to provide a safe haven for women who face abuse at the hands of family members or men who are known to them.
Fernander revealed that 50% of the victims knew their attacker and he attributed the uptick in rape cases to the fact that more women are coming forward to report the alleged crimes.
On the flip side, authorities said overall crime statistics for 2023 experienced a decline of 10% when compared to 2022.
Fernander revealed that there was a decrease in crime against persons in 2023, he shared that 110 people were killed last year when compared to 128 individuals killed in 2022.
As it stands for 2024, the murder count sits at 41 ahead of statistics recorded this same time last year.
