ACP Bailey addresses question of charges being laid in cases of missing girls
Over the years there have been numerous instances of underaged girls going
missing in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and being found a few days later with
little information provided.
During an appearance on WE FM’s Issue At Hand program on Sunday Assistant
Commissioner of Police Trevor Bailey was asked by the hosts about legal
implications for persons found to have been implicated in the sexual assault of
these young girls.
He said that investigations are carried out and quite often they result in charges
being proffered.
“Each one is investigated and there are several times when charges have been
proffered against persons who would have assaulted these young ladies sexually,”
he said.
He said that when young ladies’ return home is announced, the charging of
individuals is not included in that announcement to avoid further trauma to the
underaged girls.
“…because we don’t want to re-victimize a victim, so we may not say that, but if it
is a case where she was reunited with her family and the matter was reported that
during the time she was absent from home, this happened or that happened, if the
matter has to be referred to the sexual offences unit, it is referred to and an
investigation done, once charges are to be laid, the charges are laid and the matter
is going before the court, and quite often they do go before the court,” he said.
He noted that in some cases when the young girls go missing, it is due to them
trying to escape an abusive household. He said that in those situations the requisite
ministry is contacted and the girls are relocated following investigations.
