Petrina Francis, Gleaner WriterEVERY 12 hours, at least one woman is raped here in Jamaica. At least two rbpes happen each day according to statistics from the Police Commissioner's office.
The statistics reveal that for 2005, there were 606 reported cases of rape up to last Sunday.
But there are countless others lost in silence, as victims dread reporting the vicious act that has been perpetrated against them.
Even as the cases of rape seem to get more depraved and daring, the number of reports to the police has decreased. In 2004, there were 860 reported cases while in 2003, there were 931 cases.
Up to last Sunday, 275 arrests, which is less than half of the reported cases, were made in connection with the rape cases this year.
Inspector Grace Gordon, who is attached to the Centre for Investigation of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse (CISOCA), said that rape knows neither age nor socio-economic status.
Why do men rape?
GLORIA WALTERS, counsellor at Family Life Ministries, said men rape for a variety of reasons.
She explained that environmental stress can cause a man to rape a woman but importantly, rape is a power issue. She explained that men who are not accepted by society usually feel rejected so they exert their power by raping 'the weaker sex'.
Sociologist Herbert Gayle expressed similar sentiments. According to him, some men rape to prove that they are powerful.
"Much of it has to do with power and it is related to the fragile state of masculinity," he said.
He continued: "The fact that men are not empowered, they take it out (rape) on women."
Clinical psychologist Dr. Peter Weller said there is a pattern in the actions of men towards the defenceless and the vulnerable. He said some of the men who prey on the 'weaker sex' can be considered to be sociopaths who have no moral or social compass and are not limited in their sense of right or wrong.
Hilary Nicholson, training co-ordinator of Women's Media Watch, said rape is a criminal, violent, abuse of power, which is committed by men to gain control over their victims.
But according to Mrs. Walters, a rapist can be rehabilitated, but it takes a lot of work.
"The individual has to accept that he did something wrong. It is almost like a repentance. They have to change their lifestyle and adhere to the help that they get from counselling."
The counsellor said when a woman is raped, it affects
her mentally, physically and emotionally.
She said a woman's self-worth is damaged and she often blames herself for the act that has been committed against her. The victim she said, experiences a range of emotions, which include anger, rage and guilt.
