Flooding in Belize - Research on Sexual Assault

Belize is surviving after the tropical storms this weekend. However, there are reports of 4 deaths due to the storms and many places are flooded all over the country. Thankfully, Dangriga's river is cresting at the bank and no significant flooding has occurred as of yet. However, just on the outskirts of town, bridges have folded and people are stranded.

Blessed, Truly Blessed.....
My host, Attorney Moore, and her son missed a near serious event as they rode the bus from the Hopkins township into Dangriga this morning, thinking they would do better riding the bus instead of their low-riding car into town (20 miles) after the storms. Unfortunately, the driver underestimated the swollen waters as he tried to cross a flooded area of the road. The bus tilted to the side, rendering it immobile and water came into the bus. She said many began to panic, but she was able to help them stay calm as they had to climb out windows into neck deep water. (What was that driver thinking!!) There were children on the bus as well. They were able to make it to safety as a sturdier dump truck helped get them to safety and across the swollen road. Believe it or not, she and her son made it to the office, drenched, but alive! We went to the nearby store during lunch time so they could get flip flops, as their shoes were wet and muddy. They had a change of clothes at the office, but they will not be able to return to Hopkins until Wednesday or so. Pray for everyone's safety here.

Research on Domestic Violence-Specifically Sexual Assault
Meanwhile, the internet is still working and I was able to do some substantive research on Sexual Assault laws in the country as it relates to citizens and non-citizens. It appears that for the first 4 weeks I will work with Atty Moore on various cases, including a major on-going human rights case and shadow her on upcoming court cases. The hands-on experience I am receiving is invaluable. Atty Moore is a private attorney. However, she also works as a "legal aid" attorney for the Government of Belize. In the American system, we would call such an attorney a "public defender." The Caveat: Under the Belizean legal system, such attorneys do not have a per se public defenders title (meaning attorneys who work solely for the government in representing indigent defendants). The way it works essentially is when a defendant is indigent and can not afford counsel, the government will pay private attorneys who agree to take on a specific defendant. As Moore indicates, there are some attorneys in the country that will take such cases mainly as a means of ensuring justice or giving back to the community. However, the bottom line is that they can agree or disagree to take on such a case, unlike a dedicated US Public Defender's office that must represent based on Constitutional requirements. Working with Moore is kinda like having the best of both worlds as a legal understudy. She is called upon by people of all socio-economic levels because of her proven legal prowessness, yet she is passionate about being available to cases that may not pay much but will ensure justice and equality.

More to come tomorrow.........