04.JULY.08

EDITOR:

I have been reading over the past few weeks about the spate of rape in our country. I want to commend you for bringing what is happening to the nation’s attention, for my eyes are now wide open.

As a people, we should not sit back and let this rapist or these rapists continue to get away with their sick acts.{{more}} There are several things we as civilians can do to protect ourselves and help to bring this deviant to justice. The police cannot do it alone; it is our duty to assist them.

Of all the steps we can take, I will just mention three.

Firstly, we all should reassess our personal security. We saw in Searchlight last week how the rapist got into that poor woman’s house. I would advise everyone to take a walk around their homes and look at all potential entry points with critical eyes. Reinforce all doors and windows to make it more difficult for intruders to force their way in.

Secondly, we need to be our brothers’ keepers. Keep an eye out for strange people or strange activities in the neighbourhoods. Listen out for calls for help. Exchange phone numbers with your neighbours so that you can call them to find out if everything is okay should you hear or see something strange.

Finally, I am calling on the relatives, especially the women who live with the man or men who have been perpetrating these wicked acts to come forward. There is at least one person out there, other than the attacker, who knows who the culprit is. I do not believe that he is a vagrant, nor do I believe that he lives alone. Surely, someone saw their son, brother, boyfriend, or father come home last week Monday morning with bloody clothes. If you are not comfortable with going to the police, go to someone in your community whom you trust, like your pastor, the Head teacher, etc., and confide in him or her. That person will know what to do to protect you, while passing the information on to the police.

Eyes Open