2 children abused or violated every hour in Guyana – CCPA report

By Davina Ramdass

The shocking and saddening news that two children are abused every hour in Guyana was revealed by the Child Care and Protection Agency (CCPA) in its annual year-in-review report.
The information, which is currently available on the Agency’s Facebook page states, “From the data analysed for the period January to October 2018 every hour… 2 children are abused or violated in Guyana”.
According to CCPA, by the end of October 2018, the Agency had already responded to 4352 child abuse reports, which happens to be the highest number of reported cases ever for the period.
In fact, a 25.4 per cent increase was recorded when compared with figures for the same period for last year.
“This increase is being attributed to the National Multimedia Awareness Child Abuse Campaign and the work done at the community level,” CCPA said.
On the other hand, when it comes to teenage pregnancy, the document said the Agency’s Teen Pregnancy Prevention and Empowerment Programme was a success.
According to the Agency, “To date it has reached teens in Regions: I,3,4,5,6,7 &10. It is a programme, in collaboration with key stakeholders and NGO partners, to give teens/adolescents adequate information and support for them to make informed decisions about getting involved in sexual activity that will result in unwanted pregnancies and STDs. It is structurally talking with teens for them to make good choices”. So far, CCPA disclosed that it has worked with 308 vulnerable teens which include boys.
As of June 2018, Guyana recorded an increase in reported cases of sexual abuse against children. The eye-widening figure of 481 was revealed by the Director of the Agency, Ann Greene during an interview with <<<Guyana Times>>>.
Greene went on to explain that she believes the high number exposed itself only due to intensive work by the Department.
According to her, “it’s not an increase to say it is more now than what it was before because we got more awareness, we got more channels to report. We encourage persons to report more so when we do all these programmes and all these awareness and so on, put in a hotline and all of that, the reports would increase, but it does not signal that there is more child abuse this year than last year”.
She sought to point out that she believes the figure exposed is just the ‘tip of the iceberg’ since abuse, especially sexual abuse, is often hidden and goes unreported.
Greene said she believes a holistic approach is definitely needed, as the Department continues to raise awareness in the heart-wrenching area of child sexual abuse.
It was further related by the child enthusiast that most of the children from the 481 figure are under the age of 16. Moreover, Greene said most of the matters reported are still being investigated.