We often read the reports of the increased incidents of sexual assault occurring in Bermuda put out by The Women's Resource Centre, Amnesty International and the Bermuda Police Service reports.

Additionally, there are two or three cases in the newspapers each week of sexual assault or sexual abuse cases before the courts.

Clearly, it is no longer only the improved reporting of sexual assault incidences that has caused the number of cases to have risen so dramatically in recent years, but an increase in the number sexual assaults and sexual abuse incidences. The time has come for all of us to accept the fact we have a serious problem with sexual abuse in our community. Some say there is a correlation between increased alcohol and drug abuse and sexual abuse. While I personally have not seen the results of any scientific studies in this regard, common sense says it must be a factor.

However, in my view there is a contributing factor beyond the increase of alcohol and drug abuse (although, that must always be regarded as a major factor) that is contributing to the proliferation of sexual abuse in our community. I believe it is something more sinister and more difficult to identify and therefore more difficult to deal with than alcohol and drugs. I stress again they are a serious contributing factor.

I believe we have a community-wide problem of understanding and attitude towards the problem of sexual abuse. An attitude, that does not take the problems of sexual abuse and the negative ramifications on the community very seriously. We are a community that still does not value, protect and care for our children the way we should. Without the benefit of scientific data, casual observance says we are becoming bereft of ethical and moral behaviour. We seem to be heading for an abyss that has no concern for the difference between goodness and badness, right or wrong. Our lives continue to be fed and affected more and more everyday by the negative elements in our society, which seems to cause us to lower our standards, and to forget our responsibility to our children.

It is difficult to discuss a subject and the causes thereof in a small community such as Bermuda without someone taking issue or some group thinking that you are blaming them. It is not my purpose to blame anyone, but to discuss a very serious problem that we have among us. And I certainly do not mind anyone taking issue with what I have to say, providing it is on the principle, indeed I wish they would if they think I am wrong or if they have something positive to bring to the table.

One way or another we have all are a part of this problem and it will continue to impact more and more on our lives if we do not find ways to curb its proliferation. We must develop a consciousness of the problem of sexual abuse and a will to do what we can to help to reduce, if not stop it, in our community. If nothing is done we can expect our community to become morally and ethically bankrupt with the resultant higher incident rate of sexual abuse, drug and alcohol abuse and crime.

The reason I am writing this is because I am so incensed by the story in The Royal Gazette of Thursday, September 6th, 2001. Headlined "Sex assailant's sentence reduced". If the report in the paper is correct, and I assume it is, "the Court" showed little care for the victim or understanding of the problem of sexual abuse when it reduced an already small sentence of three years down to ten months for a 77-year-old male person in a position of trust who abused a 12-year-old girl.

There was no order for the perpetrator to have treatment while incarcerated, another lack of understanding of the court as to the size of the problem. The man had taken sick while incarcerated and it might have been a bit more acceptable had the sentence been reduced because of illness. However the Court, having established "Who is a fit subject for prison is not to be determined by the court", it reduced the custodial sentence on the basis it could have been shorter.

I had a lot to do with amending the Criminal Code having to do with sexual assault and sexual abuse and as I recall you could get as much as life in prison for abusing a child when in a position of trust. The amendments to the Criminal Code were made after a great deal of consultation and discussion with the community and in both houses of Parliament.

It was a serious message the people wanted to send to would-be abusers. It now seems it is either not understood by the court or it is being flippantly applied. And what of the victim?

Except for a few dedicated persons in the community (The Women's Resource Centre, The Physical Abuse Centre, Amnesty International), no one ever talks about them, or seems to care what happens to them. Without the right counselling they very often suffer a life of psychological turmoil, and very frequently become abusers.

I said I thought it was an attitude, which may not be the correct word. Let me explain. There seems to be a growing lack of respect among many males toward females, from teenagers through to senior adults, in our community, and a lack of respect and understanding from our homes, schools and communities all the way to our courts about the debilitating effects sexual abuse has on the victim and the community. And there also appears to be a lack of respect many women, particularly younger women (teenage to thirty) have for themselves. It is not uncommon to hear conversations among young people - male or female - about sex and sexual subjects carried on in a most derogatory manner.

Then there are the elements that young people are exposed to such as music, the radio and television, movies, magazines that encourage men, young and old, to have negative sexual attitudes toward women.

I happened to watch a bit of comedy on television last night and liberal-minded me had to turn the channel off in disgust. I could not believe the derogatory remarks and actions directed towards women, and the number of young women in the audience accepting those remarks and salacious actions and laughing at them.