March 3, 2003 – Organizers of a victims' rights march to be held Monday evening in downtown St. Thomas say they want to mobilize public concern about the sexual assault of women and children in the community.
The immediate focus of the march is last week's home invasion, rape and attempted murder of a woman in Hospital Ground. Those wanting to take part are asked to assemble at the GERS Building by 5 p.m. for a procession to Emancipation Garden, where a rally will take place.
"Our community needs to support that there is no excuse for sexual assault on our shores," Michal Rhymer-Charles, executive director of Family Resource Center, said Monday morning. The center is sponsoring the march and rally.
Rhymer-Charles said one issue to be raised at the rally is V.I. Justice Department handling of youthful offenders in sexual assault cases. Police say that Michael Turbe, the 20-year-old man charged in connection with last week's assault, was released from jail in January after prosecutors dropped charges against him in connection with the rape of an 11-year-old girl.
Much of the work of Family Resource Center involves victims of domestic violence, but the agency's counselors and volunteers also work with victims of sexual assault and other crimes.
Rhymer-Charles said she is hoping the public will be galvanized by the nature of last week's assault, putting themselves in the place of any woman coming home in broad daylight to find a predator in the house.
Police said the woman's assailant broke into her residence and accosted her when she came home early last Wednesday afternoon. They said the attacker raped her repeatedly, held her for ransom and then stabbed her multiple times and slashed her throat after a friend brought the money he demanded.
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