NCPE Concerned Over Repeated Bail Granted To Alleged Purpotrators Of Violence Against Women
The National Commission for the Promotion of Equality (NCPE), expressed its concern about a Court system that risks endangering the lives and well-being of women by repeatedly granting bail to alleged perpetrators of violence against women.
The NCPE argued that recently, a man with a string of Court cases in which he is accused of violence against women, including the attempted murder of two girls, was repeatedly granted bail, notwithstanding that he also faces a separate Court case for allegedly breaching bail conditions.
The organisation added that unfortunately, this is not an isolated case. Individuals with a pattern of violent behaviour are being granted bail, with insufficient consideration of the harm they may perpetrate against their victims, their families, and potentially others, particularly vulnerable groups.
While the NCPE acknowledged that a fundamental principle of the Court system is that everyone is innocent until proven guilty, due consideration must also be given to the rights of others to life and well-being.
It also remarked that this issue is partly compounded by the lengthy duration of Court proceedings, which can result in individuals facing multiple ongoing cases without a final ruling, arguing that while the Government has made efforts in recent years to appoint more judges and magistrates, further resources should be allocated to ensure the timely conclusion of cases; cases in which the alleged victim may be at risk of imminent harm should be prioritised; and electronic tagging should be used at an early stage of the proceedings.
The NCPE concluded by stating that the prosecution of cases of violence against women, the protection afforded by the Court to victims, and the delivery of justice in such cases will not, on their own, be enough to eradicate gender-based violence; a reality that is deeply rooted in a patriarchal society and culture.
Nevertheless, these measures remain essential to provide protection and relief to victims, and to send a clear message that such violence has no place in our society.
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Photo source: https://kaboompics.com/ RDNE Stock project / NCPE