saying in the Speech from the Throne, "No individual should fear for his or her safety in this community and Government is determined to take further action to address this important issue.'' This statement is really aimed at sex offenders because there has been alarm over recent incidents involving women and children. This is an area of crime and punishment on which the opinions of Bermudians seem to be virtually unanimous.

Bermudians are accustomed to a country where they are free to come and go as they please without concern for their safety. Bermudians also travel enough to know that they do not want to live with the fear they see friends and relations undergoing in some other places. Law abiding Bermudians do not want to be locked inside at night while criminals control the streets.

Bermudians also know that the safety of Bermuda is one of the things which attracts visitors to this Island. Visitors do not enjoy themselves nor can they relax when they are told by hotels and guest houses not to venture out at night because they are not safe.

That is all very well and good and true but Bermuda must be careful that tough legislation does not become a weapon for repression. Prison has been a right of passage for far too many of our young people, especially young black men, and there is always a chance that tough laws will be used to "sort out'' some sections of the community.

This is not in any way to condone sexual molestation of anyone but it is to remember that young people who are imprisoned are, more often than not, sexually molested themselves and emerge from prison far more bitter, far more criminalised and far more dangerous than when they entered prison. "Locking them up'' too often produces a well trained and hardened repeat inmate rather than a reformed offender.

More often than not, sexual molestation is not a sex crime, even though it involves sex, but a crime of violence. We have to wonder what complex factors in this society creates an atmosphere of violence so strong that it leads to sexual assault.

Because of that, we were glad to see that Government proposes an Island-wide programme of education on sexual molestation and that those targeted for help will be potential sex attackers. We must attempt treatment and cure before we resort to tough punishment. If we can prevent a person from offending, them we will stop prison turning a person into a repeat offender.

If a person is imprisoned for sexual molestation, then we must make serious attempts at rehabilitation as well as prison because, otherwise, there is a good possibility that the offender will offend again. That is not fair to our women and children.