BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – A 17-year-old American student who attends one of the universities on the island of St. Kitts, says that she has been raped and wants justice.
The young woman who started attending the school in September 2011 said that she was raped sometime in the night on Sunday, January 29, by another student with whom she was acquainted.
“What happened is that on that day I was really sick and in and out of the hospital and my heart rate was dropping and I was placed on drips while at the hospital. I was also given medication because I was having trouble sleeping and during the day I had some friends who came over to help take care of me.
“The guy called me and asked if he can come over and see me because he was in the area where I lived. This was in the evening. I told him 'yeah' and also told him that he could get sick as well but he said he didn’t care,” she said.
The victim said that he was someone she knew and was acquainted with and every once in awhile they would speak.
“So he came over and we spoke like we normally would. I was coughing a lot and he suggested that he stay just in case I would need to go to the hospital. I guess since I was so vulnerable or in need of a friend or someone to take care of me. I didn’t object to it…because no one was there as I lived alone. So I knew he was staying the night."
She said she went to bed and when she awoke her pants were off and he was on top of her and already inside of her.
She was telling him to stop and to 'get off' of her but he just continued and until he finally stopped shortly after.
He got up, dressed himself and left.
“After he left I got up and went to the bathroom and I saw that I was bleeding. I threw a pant on and went to a friend of mine who was a local and lived in the area and told him what happened. He then called the police.”
The victim said she was taken to the hospital and was examined by a local doctor.
“After my examination I spoke to the police for like six hours, and during this time I was still very sick. Because I am underage I have a guardian and he was present while I gave my statement.”
She reported that not only was her rape a horrific experience but someone who was living in St. Kitts had betrayed her.
Two days after the incident her rapist was arrested by police but three days after that he was released.
“My guardian went to the police and told them that I no longer wanted to continue with the case. So at this point where I’m standing he’s still out there; there’s no chance of him going back in jail because my guardian says I wanted to withdraw the case. He went to the cops and the guy’s lawyer and said that I want to withdraw the case without my permission. I had no idea this was happening.”
The mother of the victim also flew in to St. Kitts to aid and support her daughter.
“So we learnt that the lawyer said to the guardian, ‘Why do you want to withdraw the case?’ and his response was because it’s just a minor matter and that she wants to withdraw it and that the school has a lawyer for that. Which is a total lie! We just met the school officials who said they would never side with the accused. So he is not only mishandling her information but he’s actually stabbing her in the back and also stabbing the school in the back,” said the mother who said at first they were hearing that the school had hired a lawyer for the accused which was false," the mother said.
The victim said: "My guardian is the person we go to when we need help or having problems. But he went to help my rapist. He pretended to be helping me but all along he was helping the guy. I also had evidence on my phone and the guardian advised me not to turn it in and that might be one of the reasons the guy is out right now.”
When her mother arrived on St. Kitts she also learnt that there were friends who wanted to help her daughter but the guardian did not let them speak to her.
“So he isolated her, for himself to manipulate. I’m really furious with this man. He was in that position as a father to help her and would you believe before I arrived I was thanking him on the phone because he was the one with her not knowing what he was up to.”
The mother said that the family is distressed and is just seeking justice.
“I am numb, actually at first I was very happy at how they arrested him quickly and put him in prison, but by the time I landed he was already out on bail. The family is very much distressed and we are just waiting on a decision. People are laughing at her; some people are supportive and some have it as a joke,” she said.
The victim said that she is feeling helpless at the moment because her guardian was present when she gave the police a statement.
“So my accuser’s lawyer will be fully prepared when this goes to court. I have no way of defending myself except for the medical evidence.”
She describes her attacker as light skinned, from another Caribbean island, strong and is two semesters away from being a doctor.
“By December he can be employed as a Doctor; he is so close to being a doctor, why would he do this?” she asked.
She said that it was awful when she was walking in town on Feb. 6 with her mother and saw him.
“I saw him in town today (Feb. 6) for the first time after he raped me. We walked close each other and he was staring me down like he was gonna come back for me.”
She also said that there are persons coming to her and telling her to drop the charges, including security forces at the school.
“A security guy would come and ask me all the time if I want to change my statement, and would say that I don’t look like somebody who is traumatized. How is someone to look?”
A local probation officer also said that they were contacted by the victim’s mother after the incident.
They said since a minor was involved they were to be contacted by police but never was.
The probation officer explained: “After the victim felt like she was not getting any justice and didn’t have anyone on her side, she called the States and spoke to her mom. Her mom then went online and did a bunch of searches, until she got our department’s number. When I got into the office the secretary was on the phone, with her and gave me the information and I called her immediately then made contact with the daughter. She is 17; she is still a child and the police were supposed to contact us but never did.
“Can you imagine the head of security at the school telling the child she does not look like someone that was raped? How is a person traumatized supposed to look? Different people react in different ways; some people commit suicide. Some people shut out everyone. She’s fighting and I’m glad she’s fighting.”
The probation officer noted that it was also a surprise at how quickly the accused was given bail, especially seeing that he is a flight risk.
It is also alleged that the accused in this matter had assaulted and even physically abused a local female who was talked out of pressing charges.
The victim and her mother are hoping to meet with the Commissioner of Police to see what can be done with the matter.
“There are girls still walking around…imagine how many more he could hurt. I want him back in jail. I see children walking around, walking home from school, would you as a parent allow your kids to walk freely knowing there’s a rapist on the loose,” she said.
“He’s already hurt me so I want to stop him getting away with it. He can even go back to his country…and imagine he is going to be a doctor!
“I want to reach people of St. Kitts to say no to this crime. And I would be heading a petition to keep the rape accused in jail. I want people to know that I want something done,” the victim said.
Her mother said they are just seeking justice.
“It’s not the school’s fault or the country’s fault but we have to do what have to do to get justice done. I’m just waiting for justice here. Her damage is done already; we just want to see justice done,” the victim's mother said.
