What happened here was despicable and outrageous!
And not just because it is bad for the reputation of the country, or what effect it may have on tourism.
While the fact that the alleged perpetrator is a jet ski operator may provide details of the incident, it is immaterial. So, people shouldn’t castigate the jet ski industry in general.
This is a problem throughout The Bahamas. The nation has one of the highest sexual assault and rape rates in the Western hemisphere. That’s the bigger problem.
Too many young Bahamian males have an incorrect view and lack of respect for women, disregard for the law and no self-control. The latter two are the same character deficiencies harboured by the young men committing most of the violent crime in the country.
This isn’t a tourism problem, or a jet ski problem. It is a societal failure that needs to be addressed, quickly and effectively. It requires the efforts of law enforcement, educators and most of all parents.
Evidence of these problems in Bahamian society can be found in this Facebook post. Some of the comments show ignorance, others are downright appalling.
This particular incident needs a little of that swift justice we’ve all heard so much about but have rarely seen. And if the suspect is found guilty, the punishment should be substantial.
Rape is not a minor crime. It may not kill the victim physically but it can kill them emotionally and destroy their life.
We do not need police on beaches, changes in the hotel’s policy, more jet ski regulations or tourism damage control.
We need to start addressing and reversing these societal failures so we have a society as beautiful as our islands.