Para 101) In light of the Government’s commitment in 2016 to establish an effective multisectorial response to cases of sexual and domestic violence, the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act, 2021, which was passed in the Senate on 15 June 2021 creates the National Sex Offender Register and the Public Sex Offender Website. The Commissioner of Police will be responsible for the management and maintenance of the Register and corresponding website. While the Register will contain the offenders’ names, addresses, photographs and offences committed, the Website will not allow the public to access the offenders’ specific address but only their locality. The Register will only contain information regarding offenders who are citizens or residents of Trinidad and Tobago, convicted of registrable offences by a Court either domestically or internationally on or after 25th September, 2000. The Register does not apply to persons who were under the age of eighteen (18) years or suffering from mental illness at the time the offence was committed.
Para 102) The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) has since launched several specialized units to address the issues of domestic and sexual violence facing women and children. On 21 January, 2020, TTPS launched the Gender-based Violence Unit (GBVU) to handle cases involving gender-based violence and domestic violence, breach of protection order and rape. The GBVU can be utilized not only by victims of such crimes, but also members of the public who may have information regarding such cases. On 4 June 2020, the TTPS launched the Sexual Offences Unit, designed to treat with intimate partner violence and sexual violence in adults. The unit will offer complete protection and anonymity. Persons can utilize the TTPS mobile application to report not only domestic violence and sexual offences but all crimes.
Para 68) The United Nations country team noted that rape was addressed under the Sexual Offences Act. However, implementation and prosecution remained challenging owing to underreporting, the stigma surrounding rape, the difficulty in acquiring forensic evidence and the retraumatization of victims.