Two children abused every hour in Guyana — CPA 2018 analysis

The National Multimedia Awareness Child Abuse Campaign of the Childcare and Protection Agency was intensified in 2018 with new communication methods and channels for reporting.

In year in review, the CPA released information about success of the project.

According to the CPA, persons can now report through the social media. DJ Akelo was a big success in raising awareness with his programmes on 94.1 and 100.1 and on Linden Television.

“Moreover, we have our ads on almost all of the TV stations across the Regions. We have also launched Child Sexual Abuse Awareness Ads in two Amerindian Languages to air on the radio stations that cover the Hinterland Regions.”

By the end of October, the CPA had responded to 4352 child abuse reports, which is the highest number of reported cases ever for the period and it represents a 25.4% increase over the same period in 2017.

This increase is being attributed to the National Multimedia Awareness Child Abuse Campaign and the work done at the community level.

The Agency noted that from the data analysed for the period January to October 2018 every hour… 2 Children are abused or violated in Guyana

Earlier this year the CPA expressed alarm over the staggering 481 new cases of child sexual abuse that have been reported to the Agency in the past six months.

Statistics released to the Kaieteur News revealed that 393 were girls, while the other 88 of the victim were boys.

In May, the agency recorded 238 cases of sexual abuse against children under the age of 18.

CPA Director, Ann Greene, had said in a previous interview that the alarming number of reports has been linked to the fact that citizens are more vigilant in communities where child abuse occurs. She also noted that the CPA has been educating community members about this scourge.

The complaints are made to the relevant authorities including the Childcare and Protection Agency, (CPA) before investigations are launched.

Greene has noted that the agency provides avenues for reporting matters through the various media.

“We have a Facebook page and we have a hotline number which people can call and report such issues.

“We are also encouraging people to come in to the CPA and we are seeing that the community has become more responsive to filing reports.”

Greene noted that what is frightening, however, is that many cases of child abuse and molestation remain unreported.

“It is frightening because this is only the tip of the iceberg since child abuse is something that is done behind closed doors and children really do not (always) have the voice to talk about the abuse. They suffer.”