NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The country needs to advance a national discussion on the issue of marital rape before it can make moves towards legislation, said Anne-Marie Davis, wife of Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis.
Speaking to reporters on the matter following the testing of the MARCO’s Alert cellphone component, Davis acknowledged that the issue is a contentious one with many different feelings.
“I think a national discussion really has to be had on that,” she said.
“Many people feel that marital rape doesn’t exist and many people experience it as well. So the is something that we really have to improve on by having more advocacy on it.
“If we have more cases for it and we are made more aware that marital rape is happening then I think we will have more advocacy for it and we will take it further.”
The issue of marital rape has been a topic of intense national debate; last resurfacing in late 2017.
At the time, United National Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women Dubravka Simonovic said The Bahamas is out of step with the UN’s Convention on the Elimination of All Former of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) as the country had failed to criminalize all forms of marital rape.
In 2018, Attorney General Carl Bethel advised the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, Switzerland, that the government intends to criminalize marital rape.
However, there was no movement on the matter under the previous administration.
The Bahamas Christian Council has not put forward a formal position on marital rape.
However, the council proposed in 2018 that spouses found guilty of forcing their partners to have sex, be liable to a prison term of life.
Last week, the prime minister echoed similar views on the issue, declaring “marital rape is wrong”.
“We remain one of the few countries in the world where that is not recognized in the law,” Davis said.
“An effort to change the law should be part of a larger national conversation and consenses. I very much support having that national conversation.”
The prime minister has said however that the issue is not on the government’s agenda this term.
While in opposition in 2018, Davis said any measure to penalize or criminalize marital rape will be supported by his administration.
He however indicated at the time that he could not commit to prioritizing the issue, but he committed to addressing it, even though his number one focus as prime minister is the economy.
