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JFJ wants redefinition of rape in Jamaican law

Executive Director of Jamaicans for Justice Mickel Jackson
 
Executive Director of Jamaicans for Justice Mickel Jackson wants a re-examination of the definition of rape to take into account forced anal penetration. 
 
At present the Sexual Offences Act defines rape as penile vaginal penetration.
 
Jackson wants the disparity to be removed for the penalty that will accrue to perpetrators.
 
Noting that currently, under the Sexual Offences Act, the perpetrator of forced penile-vaginal penetation (defined as rape) gets up to life imprisonment, she reiterated that for forceful penile-anal penetration the perpetrator gets only ten years, "because that person is going to be charged under the provision for buggery," under the Offences Against the Person Act.
 
It is therefore imperative that there be a refefining of rape, "that deals with the seriousness of forced anal penetration."
 
"I don't think we can be talking about dealing with sexual violence and telling victims that if it is that you are forcefully penetrated anally, you're going to be getting less protection in law because your matter, despite how serious and heinous it is, is somehow being treated differently," she argued.
 


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