The Child Care Board (CCB) has dealt with over 600 reported cases of child abuse within the last three to four years, but these numbers only tell part of the story, says director Roseann Richards.
“We know that where there’s one report, there are many other reported cases. So our intention is to make people aware of why it is necessary not to under-report, but to report so that we can help those children who are abused or are survivors of abuse, help parents as well and to prevent it on the whole,” she said.
Richards was speaking during yesterday’s Walk Against Abuse, which saw over 300 participants including parents, teachers, members of the CCB as well as personnel from the Ministry of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs.
The walk, held in commemoration of Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Month, began at the Mahaica Playing Field in Speightstown, St Peter. It involved children from nursery and primary schools in St Peter marching along the KNR Husbands Highway, through Queen Street, Major Walk and back to the starting point.
Richards said while records show most of their reported cases come from St Michael, Christ Church and St James, they chose to host their walk in the north in an effort to reach more people.
“The intention is to sensitise the public about child abuse, why it should be prevented, as well as to make them aware. In the event that there are any cases or know of any cases or they suspect anything, for them to call the Child Care Board and make a report or they can make a report to the Barbados Police Service,” she added.
The director expressed a desire for child abuse cases to be expedited in the courts, stressing that too often children in search of justice are placed in positions where they have to relive their traumatic experience many years after the act has occurred. Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs Kirk Humphrey said the Child Protection Act, which was passed by Parliament last year, is to make sure there are systems in place to address these matters.
“I think the time has come for us to have a Family Court to be able to deal with these matters pertaining to children in an expedited way.
“One of the things that I remember was a case when I was manager of the Child Care Board of a young girl who was abused at the age of ten. Her case was called, she was a grown woman with children, and what they see as an adult is completely different from the child that is abused. So we need to get the cases through to be able to protect children,” Humphrey said. (JRN)
