BY SABATINI DANIELS
Child Care and Protection Agency (CCPA) Director Ann Greene said “the wheels of justice turn too slowly” in Guyana when it comes to dealing justly with persons who sexually abuse children.
Speaking with Guyana Times International in an exclusive interview on Monday, the director disclosed that there is a great amount of backlog in sexual abuse cases, noting that investigations into some are still pending.
Greene said by the time some cases go through the court system, some children who were abused become adults, and they have to relive the horror.
“For us, we would like it to move quicker, so the child can start to recover… the wheels must turn faster,” she said, pointing out some cases are as old and might get cold.
Greene said child abuse cases need to be looked at with more urgency so as to send a strong message to perpetrators, that “if you abuse a child, its trouble”.
She disclosed that for the period June to August this year, 282 girls and 42 boys were sexually abused, but noted that this might be the tip of the iceberg as many incidents are not reported.
Greene revealed that helping boys who are sexually abused is a challenge since it is an attack on their manhood.
The CCPA director is also urging parents to pay serious attention to their children when they complain of sexual abuse.
“Children do not lie. It’s not in there DNA to lie that someone sexually abused them, so when children tell of them being abused sexually, a parent needs to believe that child, you start out with believing that child… until you get another reason not believe a child,” she said.
Maintain close relationship
Greene said too that parents must instil in their children what is inappropriate touching and must always maintain a close relationship so that their children would feel comfortable confiding in them.
Greene is strengthening CCPA programmes to prevent child abuse, and contended that for maximum success to be achieved, it would require the full cooperation of all stakeholders.
The CCPA director also disclosed that for the period January to June of this year, 432 girls and 411 boys suffered neglect while 134 girls and 163 boys suffered physical abuse.
The Human Services and Social Security Ministry on Sunday officially launched Child Protection Week under the theme “Community Partnerships for Child Protection”.
