GarthRattray

The Child Care And Protection Act (2004), does not go far enough. It concentrates on the detection, reporting and punishment for breaches against the act and, in so doing, aims to redress and deter abuse of all children. However, it should be amended to mandate that the Government institutes a system to actively surveil? and track all the children registered at birth. We must constantly monitor and intercede in order to prevent the horrors of child abuse and neglect. Pre-emptive measures will ensure that our children are safe, cared for and educated.

All citizens, especially 'prescribed persons' are required to report all real or suspected breaches to a 'registry' - which is presently, de facto, the police (at the Centre for Investigation of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse - CISOCA). But reporting is usually after irreparable harm has been done, and it sometimes endangers the lives of all concerned. If we had an established system for monitoring our children on a regular basis, all this could be minimised or avoided.

Sexual activity

Here is a practical example from my records. Twelve-year-old Angela (not her real name) was a typical pre-pubertal, high-school student. She walked into the office accompanied by her aunt, but appeared quiet and apprehensive. Her aunt and uncle (guardians) were exceedingly troubled by her persistent affinity for boys and suggestive text messages on her cellular telephone (red flags for present or past sexual activity). Angela was staying with them because they were concerned about her environment and feared for her future if she continued living in a depressed community with her inept mother - towards whom Angela was exhibiting recalcitrance and resentment.

During the visit, it was discovered that Angela was no longer a virgin. At first, she calmly tried to deny this but relented and confirmed that she had been sexually active. My expectation of hearing the name of some little teenage boy was soon extinguished by her tear-filled outburst that she had not had intercourse recently but that she had been repeatedly abused by her stepfather while in her mother's care. Within a fraction of a second this composed little girl was transformed into a sobbing heap as she recalled her painful experiences and her resentment for a mother that failed to act (either out of ignorance of the situation, fear of the perpetrator or need for financial support). The little girl who was brought in under suspicion of promiscuity left as a pitiful victim of a scum-of-the-earth stepfather and an ignorant, neglectful or complicit mother.

This scenario is an all too familiar one. It's conservatively estimated that 20-40 per cent of girls have been sexually molested, abused or assaulted before their eighteenth birthday. The perpetrator is usually an older, trusted male (close family friend, relative or in-law). The vast majority of cases go undiscovered or unreported and all the victims are traumatised for life. Nobody ever fully recovers from sexual abuse of any kind.

And there we were with Angela, time to report to the CISOCA - straightforward and simple, right? Wrong! It turns out that Mr. Stepfather is a bona fide gunman. Angela explained that she remained silent over the years because he promised to shoot her family if she said anything to anybody.

In spite of the threat, such casesmust be reported. We hope that the police will be able to protect the lives of little Angela, her family and relatives. Her horrible situation is by no means unique. It highlights Jamaica's desperate need for aggressive pre-emptive social monitoring and intervention.