Protect our children
published: Monday | June 13, 2005

THE EDITOR, Sir:

I AM 100 per cent happy that the authorities will be taking steps to prosecute persons who have sexually abused the children who are wards of the state. Our children are our future and I strongly believe that everything should be done to protect them in every area of their lives. I trust that the penalties will be extremely severe.

For those children who live with their parents/guardians at home, I suggest that the government put in place legislation to prosecute parents who endanger the lives of their children by: Allowing them to participate in street demonstrations; leaving them alone and/or unsupervised; not reporting acts of physical or sexual abuse; allowing their children to roam the streets in their community; allowing teenage girls to have sexual relationships with older men in order to provide financial assistance; inflicting severe punishment resulting in trauma.

It is the duty of every 'person in the street' to look out for all our children. Do not sit quietly while your neighbours abuse their children, you must report them. If you know of teenage girls who are into sexual relationships you must report the situation, it is a crime and it is called statutory rape. We have several hot lines to call to report crimes. Can we also have a hotline exclusively to report abuse of children? It is strange how animals protect their young with everything within them; yet we who are above the animals do not seem to go all-out (in several cases) to protect them from the predators among us.

I am, etc.,

Concerned Mother