The Parliament of St. Vincent and the Grenadines has passed, with bi-partisan support, stiffer penalties for some sex crimes by amending sections of which amends sections of Chapter 8 of the Criminal Code.
With the exception for the penalty for rape which remains a maximum sentence of life in imprisonment, and the penalty for buggery which remains at 10 years and assault with intent to commit buggery at 7 years, here are the adjustments in brief:
- penalty for sexual intercourse with a girl under the age of 15 years moved from maximum 5 years’ imprisonment to 15 years;
- maximum penalty for sex with a girl under the age of 13 is life imprisonment;
- penalty for intercourse with a defective person moved from five years maximum imprisonment to 15 years;
- maximum sentence for indecent assault on a child under the age of 15 – moved from 5 years to 10 years;
- indecency with a child, moved from a maximum of one year in prison to 10 years;
- person who permits premises to be used for sex with a girl under the age of 15 – maximum sentence of 15 years – moved from 14 years;
- indecent assault of a girl 13 years old but under 15, maximum penalty moved from 7 years to 10 years’ imprisonment;
- for causing or encouraging the prostitution of a girl under the age of 15, maximum imprisonment moved from 7 years to 15 years;
- prostitution of a woman, detention in a brothel, a man living on earnings of prostitution, a woman exercising control over a prostitute, or keeping a brothel- moved from maximum 14 to 15 years’ imprisonment;
- person who lets premises to be used as a brothel – maximum penalty moved from 7 years to 10 years’ imprisonment; repeat offender, the maximum penalty moved from 14 to 15 years’ imprisonment;
- procurement of a woman by threats or intimidation to have unlawful sexual intercourse, moved from 2 to 7 years;
- procurement of a woman by false pretences adjusted from 2 to 7 years;
- administer drugs to facilitate intercourse – maximum sentence moved from 5 years to 10 years;
- penalty for incest – increased from 14 years maximum for a man and 7 years for a woman to a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment for both.