A local clergy man is in full support  for the proposed amendment to criminalize marital rape.

Appearing on the Love 97/ JCN program “Jones and Company” Pastor of Trinity Methodist Church Reverend  William Higgs said   just because a person is married,  they do not have the right to abuse their spouse.

“The initial proposed amendment was seeking to broaden the definition of sexual offences to include that if a spouse was forcing oneself on the other spouse, that could be termed a sexual offence, if it was in violation of their trust and against their will.

“And I think that is correct. I don’t think the fact that you’re  married means you therefore have a right to abuse the person you’re married to,” Rev. Higgs said.

Detractors of the amendment say that the state should not be  involved  in marital affairs, something the pastor does not agree with.

“Why does the state get involved in the business at all?

“Why do we govern marriage? Why do we have requirements for who can be married to whom?  We are not getting into that, except for if someone commits a crime or sexual offence against a next person it should not matter that you have the protection of your bedroom.

“An offence is an offence,” Rev. Higgs said.

Last week,  Bahamas Christian Council President Bishop Delton Fernander said the church remains divided on the issue and could not yet provide a position on the matter.

In 2009, the Ingraham administration introduced a marital rape bill, which would have criminalized marital rape in all forms.

However, due to uproar in certain sectors, with some religious leaders suggesting that the government was seeking to interfere in marriages, the bill was shelved.