‘Tell Scheme’ at West Demerara Schools sees reduction in child molestation cases

Aug 14, 2019 News

The just concluded ‘Tell Scheme’ in West Demerara District Schools has seen a 10% reduction in cases of child molestations, according to credible sources at Region Three Education Department.
The initiative which came on stream earlier this year was geared at getting student victims to come forward and speak out about their experiences, even if they were being threatened by their abusers not to disclose matters to anyone.
Welfare personnel, counsellors, and even members of the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) were asked to get students to come forward with their stories.
Students from various ‘student bodies’ in schools were also trained as educators to be able to detect tell tale signs of abuse/molestation amongst their colleagues, also to be able to counsel and refer victims to professionals for effect treatment, or investigation.
The ‘Tell Scheme’ was implemented into Westside Schools after discovery was made of cases of molestation and harassment of students by teachers, and even student to student sexual encounters.
It was also used as a medium to catch drug users in schools, and to target and locate traffickers if any, who were peddling drugs to students.
The scheme, according to sources, was able to under a widespread use of the synthetic drug ‘ecstasy’, which was being peddled in schools by even the students themselves in some cases.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), sexual violence is any sexual act, attempt to obtain a sexual act, unwanted sexual comments or advances, or acts to traffic a person’s sexuality by any person, using coercion regardless of their relationship to the victim in any setting, including but not limited to home and work. Sexual violence is a traumatic and widespread human rights violation that can result in the death of the victim or in deep and long lasting effects on the physical and mental health of survivors.
Many survivors of rape and sexual assault feel frightened, guilty, powerless, angry, ashamed, depressed and numb and experience a loss of self- confidence.
Counselling and other forms of therapy will help them to cope with the trauma of sexual violence. Some survivors may find it difficult to eat, sleep or concentrate on school or studies.
Sometimes, there can be a long gap between the time of the sexual violence and the emotional reaction. Some survivors will find it difficult to talk about the rape or sexual assault, and this may be even more difficult in the case of a child.
Support and understanding from family members and help from trained counsellors are very important.

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‘Tell Scheme’ at West Demerara Schools sees reduction in child molestation cases

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