VICTIMS of sexual abuse can feel confident that their voices will be heard following a string of recent convictions, according to the charity manager of a sexual-assault support organisation.
Zoe Collins-Fisher, from Jersey Action Against Rape, said that prison time was an appropriate sentence for perpetrators guilty of sexual touching and would hopefully discourage future incidents from occurring.
Last month, the States police moved to reassure victims of sexual offences that perpetrators would go to court, after 60-year-old Carlos Nunes Alves was jailed for two years for sexually touching a teenager without consent.
Earlier in October Lloyd William Evans (45) was jailed for six months for groping a 17-year-old girl in Chambers nightclub.
The case prompted dozens of women to give their own experiences of being groped in Jersey nightclubs and sparked a special report in the JEP about the extent of the problem in the Island.
Ms Collins-Fisher said the charity had seen a 33% increase in calls to their helpline this year and she believed more people were gaining the courage to speak out against sexual abuse.
‘Recent convictions for sexual touching which have led to the perpetrator being jailed will give increased confidence to those who have had similar experiences. Prison time is a serious and appropriate sentence which shows that victims are being taken seriously and they do have a voice,’ she said.
‘It also sends out a clear message to perpetrators that they will not get away with anything and that it is not acceptable to touch someone without their consent. Hopefully the more convictions we continue to see the less likely incidents are to happen because perpetrators know that they could face prison time for touching someone without their consent,’ she added.
Ms Collins-Fisher said the charity was hoping to run a campaign with local hospitality and night-time venues next year to raise awareness around sexual touching.
‘A lot of examples of sexual touching happen in social settings and often involve the influence of alcohol, and so it is good to see that the excuse of alcohol and being drunk is not being accepted. It is not acceptable to touch anybody without their consent, no matter what the situation. That person’s body belongs to them,’ she said.
‘We are also seeing police forces trying to change the narrative around sexual abuse and trying to give confidence to victims that they will be protected and their voices will be heard,’ she added.
Last month, Ricky Derek Knight was found guilty of 14 counts of indecent assault or committing acts of gross indecency against two girls under 16 following a six-day Royal Court trial.
Ms Collins-Fisher believes it is crucial that victims are given support from the community.
‘Sexual-abuse cases can be difficult to prove, as it is one person’s word against another, and so it is important for victims to know that they will be given the correct support should they decide to speak out,’ she said.
