Babies Having Babies

The first baby of the year, born on January 1st, is usually a big deal in Aruba. The press takes its picture and it is showered with attention and baby gifts. I did not see much fanfare this year, but the picture in the paper showed a newborn boy, in the arms of a smiling young mother, with a father casually leaning into the scene. The article mentioned the fact that she was 15 years old and initially failed to say that the casually leaning in man, was 30. A few days into the New Year, the case was examined by Civil Registration and by the Public Ministry. Both institutions expressed their concerns and dismay. Civil Registration reminded us that the couple, even if married outside of Aruba, could not have the union recognized here, because of the minimum legal age for marriage. Moreover, the Public Ministry reported that no complaint had been filed against the man by outraged parents, nor the prosecutor, and that they are in a “wait and see” mode, after all the man had recognized the child as his own, and no action will be taken, for now.  Some of my friends who were outraged all had daughters, and wished to defend the rights of the vulnerable against predators. So we are hereby expressing our joint disappointment and consternation at the fact that the law doesn’t equally apply to all. Especially in statutory rape, which is the case here. This is what my dictionary says about statutory rape: The criminal offense of statutory rape is committed when an adult sexually penetrates a person who, under the law, is incapable of consenting to sex. Minors and physically and mentally incapacitated persons are deemed incapable of consenting to sex under rape statutes. These persons are considered deserving of special protection because they are especially vulnerable due to their youth or condition. And we are hereby asking the Public Ministry to file formal charges because the young mother was 14 at the time of conception, and may be considered  incapable of consenting to sex and deserving of special protection, because of her  vulnerability and her young age. The girl in the eye of the storm is a feisty one, as she writes in defiance: Pues danki Dios y por lo menos mi a duna luz na e baby, y no manera otro muhernan cu pa solamente papiamento di hende ta tuma e caminda facil di haci un aborto. Mi baby no ta impedi mi nada. Mas bien e ta dunami mas forza di sigui dilanti. Kizas mi ta un mucha ainda, pero mi ta mas responsabel cu hasta muhernan di 25 y 30 aña cu pa motibo di ta core caya y trip, ta kita bida di un baby via aborto. Esey si ta parcemi desagradabel. Danki na e comentarionan. Boso no ta bay dunami nada pa cria mi baby. Como tal e no ta afecta mi. Feliz dia y sigui papia, ya cu esaki no ta afecta mi. Quoted from http://www.noticiacla.com/news/4778.  You all realize, that the young mother puts on a brave face, and that she is the victim here. Her victimizer should go to jail, because the law is the law, and recognizing the baby is the least expected of him. It should not get him off the hook.

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January 07, 2016
Rona Coster