481 NEW CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE REPORTS IN LAST SIX MONTHS

Jul 23, 2018 News

---

– 393 girls, 88 boys
– Community vigilance helping to expose cases, says Childcare Agency

By Rehanna Ramsay

The Childcare and Protection Agency (CPA) is expressing alarm over the staggering 481 new cases of child sexual  abuse that have been reported to the Agency in the past six months.
Statistics released to the Kaieteur News revealed that 393 were girls, while the other 88 of the victim were boys.
In May, the agency recorded 238 cases of sexual abuse against children under the age of 18.

CITIZENS MORE VIGILANT
CPA Director Ann Greene says the alarming number of reports is linked to the fact that citizens are more vigilant in communities where child abuse occurs. She also noted that the CPA has been educating community members about this scourge.
The complaints are made to the relevant authorities including the Childcare and Protection Agency, (CPA) before investigations are launched.

Greene has noted that the agency provides avenues for reporting matters through the various media.
“We have a Facebook page and we have a hotline number which people can call and report such issues. We are also encouraging people to come in to the CPA and we are seeing that the community has become more responsive to filing reports.”
TIP OF THE ICEBERG
Greene noted that what is frightening however is that many cases of child abuse and molestation remain unreported.
“It is frightening because this is only the tip of the iceberg since child abuse is something that is done behind closed doors and children really do not (always) have the voice to talk about the abuse. They suffer.”
Earlier this year, a 13-year-old was found to be five months pregnant and a ten-year-old was reportedly brutally raped by someone close to her. The 10-year-old had to undergo surgery.
It was reported that the young woman told her mother that she was being abused but the parent dismissed the allegation.
The matter was reported to the CPA which took swift actions to take the child out of the abusive situation.
Sources said that the 13-year-old was not given prenatal care; and because of her age, in addition to other factors, she is deemed to be a high-risk case.
She is in the care of the CPA.
The 10-year-old victim is also in the care of the CPA while both matters were under investigation by the Guyana Police Force and the CPA.
Greene said that there are many other cases of child pregnancy linked to sexual abuse that were reported to the CPA for the year 2018.
And at the end of June, the CPA has already been dealing with new cases.
In early July, the Agency rescued a 13-year-old girl who was allegedly being trafficked by her mother, who is an alcoholic.
The matter came to light after someone who knew the family made a report.
An elder daughter also told the Agency that she was also trafficked by the same parent. The mother was detained and the police have been notified.
The CPA Director said that part of the Agency’s plan to prevent child molestation is to encourage families to have open discussions at home about the issue.
“It starts in the homes because many times what we find is that the perpetrators are often close relatives and friends of the child or children whom they abuse.”
“Families have the first responsibilities calling for sexual regulations to be done in the home to prevent children from being sexually abused.
“Parents must pay attention to their children; they must talk to them about sexual abuse from an early age.
“I just want parents to pay a little bit more attention; sexual regulations must be done in the home. A lot of children are still without the knowledge that they must not have sex with father and brother and cousin.”
“We are doing a lot to educate, but we want parents to sit down and talk to children, empower children and let them understand that they must not be touched in certain areas,” Greene said.
While she is aware that parents will not be with their children round the clock, the CPA Director explained that if children are empowered they would be able to recognise abuse and thus prevent it.
She said that children are often told by their abusers that if they confide in anyone no one would believe them.
She added that if parents talk to their children about this, they would be able to “open up to them (parents) and tell them if something has happened.”

SENSITSATION
In this regard, the CPA Director pointed out that CPA has mounted a massive sensitization campaign.
There are many advertisements regarding sexual abuse and its prevention. The CPA has been using different media to get the word out.
There have been numerous sensitization sessions with members of the community including the Guyana Police Force.
During the sessions, officers were educated on how to deal with cases of sexual abuse that are reported to them.

---

---