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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 1978
CRIMES (AMENDMENT) (NO. 2) BILL BECOMES LAW
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THE CRIMES (AMENDMENT) (NO. 2) BILL 1978, WHICH AIMS AT PROTECTING RAPE VICTIMS BY PREVENTING THE PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF THEIR NAMES AND THEIR PAST SEXUAL BEHAVIOUR, WAS PASSED INTO LAW AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE BILL THE HON. MRS. KWAN KO STU-WAH, COMMENDED THE GOVERNMENT FOR ITS PROMPT ACTION IN ENACTING THE BILL IN RESPONSE TO HER QUERY ON THE ISSUE IN LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN JULY LAST YEAR.
SHE SAID: +1 AM SURE THAT WHEN THIS BILL BECOMES LAW, MORE RAPE VICTIMS WOULD FEEL FREE TO REPORT RAPE CASES SO THAT MORE RAPE OFFENDERS CAN BE BROUGHT TO JUSTICE.
+ I ALSO HOPE THE FACT THAT RAPE CASES ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE REPORTED WILL ACT AS SOME SORT OF DETERRENT TO POTENTIAL RAPE OFFENDERS IN FUTURE, SHE ADDED.
FURTHERMORE, SHE WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOON MORE WOMEN POLICE DEALING WITH SUCH RAPE REPORTS.
THE REV. THE HON. JOYCE M. BENNETT, WHO ALSO SPOKE IN SUPPORT OF THE BILL, SAID LEGISLATION MUST BE CLEAR AND PROVIDE NO LOOPHOLES+, AND IT MUST GIVE THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS EVERY ASSISTANCE IN PREVENTING CRIME AND IN BRINGING THE GUILTY TO COURT TO RECEIVE THE DUE PUNISHMENT FOR THEIR CRIME.+
+THE POLICE SHOULD NOT BE HAMPERED IN THEIR WORK BY AN INABILITY TO SECURE THE EVIDENCE OF THE WITNESSES OF THE CRIME,+ SHE ADDED.
MISS BENNETT NOTED THAT THERE HAS BEEN MUCH PUBLICITY IN RECENT MONTHS CONCERNING THE FAILURE OF RAPE VICTIMS TO REPORT TO THE POLICE AND THE CONSEQUENT FAILURE OF THE POLICE TO CATCH THE SUSPECTS.
MISS BENNETT SAID: I HOPE THAT WITH THE PASSING OF THIS BILL, THE PUBLIC WILL RECEIVE SUFFICIENT GUIDANCE AND EDUCATION ON THE HELP IT GIVES TO THE UNFORTUNATE WOMEN AND GIRLS WHO ARE TROUBLED IN THIS WAY.
+THE BILL GUARDS THE ANONYMITY OF THE VICTIMS. I HOPE SOCIAL WORKERS AND TEACHERS WILL NOT HESITATE TO MAKE THIS BILL KNOWN TO THOSE WITH WHOM THEY WORK.
+THEY NEED TO HELP PARENTS TO UNDERSTAND THAT SILENCE IN THESE MATTERS WILL NOT HELP THEIR DAUGHTERS, SHE SAID.
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