Although she could not provide statistics, Bahamas Crisis Centre Director Dr. Sandra Dean-Patterson said yesterday that her organization has seen an increase in rape and domestic violence cases over the last year.
However, Dean-Patterson explained this could be due to increased reporting and not necessarily more incidents.
On Monday, Minister of State for National Security Keith Bell said police believe prolific offenders are responsible for a recent spike in rapes.
He warned residents to be vigilant.
Dean-Patterson said that is "very concerning", considering The Bahamas has a possible life sentence on its law books for rape.
"I think back in 2007 when the World Bank did a report on crime and violence and The Bahamas was right up there as number one in terms of reported rapes per 100,000 [people]," she said.
"Here we were in 2007, raising a lot of noise saying, 'We have to do something about this; this is not right'.
"And here we are, seven years later, and we are still having this same battle.
"To hear that they suspect some of the rapists are recidivists, who have been in prison before, again, is really of great concern."
The most recent reported rape took place last Thursday when a man reportedly broke into a woman's home on Hay Street.
That assault came a day after another woman was reportedly raped at her home on Gibbs Corner.
Police said several other women were sexually assaulted in recent weeks.
Dean-Patterson said women and children are often targeted in their homes or while walking alone on the street.
She also said there have been many cases where women were robbed and sexually assaulted as they attempted to repair their cars or change tires.
She encouraged residents to carefully consider their travel routes and avoid walking alone, not to take shortcuts and remain on well-lit streets.

Call for maximum sentences
A man was sentenced on Monday to five years' imprisonment for having sex with a six-year-old girl in June 2013.
Kendrick Rolle, 37, was fined in 2001 after he was convicted for indecently assaulting a 13-year-old girl.
Dean-Patterson said the sentence was "very worrying".
She encouraged judges to give the maximum sentences, especially to repeat offenders.
While being careful not to criticize the judge, Dean-Patterson said it appears people are able to "rape with impunity".
"As long as there are no consequences for that behavior, why should you stop?" she said.
"We have the strictest penalty on our books, we have life imprisonment, but those sentences are not given.
"I think if you rape one time, and you go and you rape again, when you go to court that second time, that should be it, whether it's 50 or 60 years.
"Whatever you give, [that person] should not be allowed to come into our community again."
Over the last several years, rape numbers have fluctuated.
In 2013, there were 104 reported rapes compared to 96 reported rapes in 2012, according to police statistics.
In 2011, there were 107 reported rapes and 78 reported rapes in 2010.

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