Statement on child sexual abuse in children’s homes

Statement on child sexual abuse in children’s homes

CSA Incidents and Reports in Trinidad and Tobago

St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago. August 16, 2024 – The Institute of Gender and Development (IGDS) at the University of the West Indies, St Augustine, and the Bankers Association of Trinidad and Tobago (BATT), under the Breaking the Silence (BTS) to End Child Sexual Abuse Project, call on service providers committed to meeting the needs of children to:

1. Committed to ensuring their work environment is a safe space for children.

2. Recognize that the essence of providing a safe space is to ensure that all employees are fully aware of the reporting protocols related to CSA;

3. Recognition Governments and national institutions charged with protecting the public must handle cases of child sexual abuse and assault with the utmost vigilance

Recent national media coverage of child sexual abuse (CSA) occurring in places that are supposed to be places of care has re-highlighted some of the administrative and policy gaps that have prevented these institutions from achieving their primary purpose, which is to provide a safe space for vulnerable children. Their primary responsibility is to care for children who have experienced abuse, neglect and domestic violence and to be considered a safe haven. It is important to understand that any institution that is considered a “safe haven” for children must be physically and psychologically safe for all residents. Ongoing psychosocial support is required not only for victims of abuse, but also for those close to the victims who are most likely to be affected by incidents of CSA. It is also important to have clear reporting protocols in place for any breach or compromise of services.

It is clear that many of the agencies responsible for ensuring the protection and safety of children in the country are overwhelmed. These agencies need to coordinate and develop clear protection policies to help staff at all levels understand the requirements for protecting children. In addition, there is a need to revise reporting processes and reassess the human resources required to effectively monitor cases to prevent CSA cases from continuing to slip through the cracks.

Child sexual abuse is a serious matter for us in Trinidad and Tobago. Child sexual abuse is the second most common form of child abuse reported in Trinidad and Tobago, the first being neglect (Wong 2021a; Bishop 2023; Reddock, Reid, and Nickenig 2022, 179). The twin-island nation reported 915 cases of child sexual abuse between May 18, 2015 and February 17, 2016, 1,800 cases in the 21-month period of 2020-2021, and more than 500 cases between October 2022 and April 2023 (Harracksingh and Johnson 2022; Rampersad 2021; Bishop 2023). The prevalence of child sexual abuse is a well-known fact in Trinidad and Tobago. In fact, in a 2007 survey of the norms and values ​​of the people of Trinidad and Tobago, 87% of participants highlighted CSA as a national problem (Matroo 2011, cited in Reid, Reddock, and Nickening 2014, 258). Despite the prevalence of CSA, research indicates that less than 50% of survivors report CSA.

It is clear that child sexual abuse is a national problem for Trinidad and Tobago. It is therefore imperative that we take action and address it across sectors and stakeholders. At the heart of our response must be the fact that children can be victims of child sexual abuse themselves, but can also transmit this behaviour to others. All factors that may lead children to engage in inappropriate activities must be considered. Therefore, the recovery and rehabilitation process must include psychological support and monitoring of perpetrators to prevent them from committing such offences again.

Victims of domestic sexual abuse should not feel they are being punished for coming forward to report domestic sexual abuse. Reporting domestic sexual abuse is already difficult and takes courage for victims. We must recognise that there are differences between the experiences of young girls and young boys of abuse and respond accordingly. While there has undoubtedly been work done over the years to raise sensitivity and awareness around domestic sexual abuse, we do need to urgently focus on the following issues:

We at IGDS, in partnership with the Bankers Association of Trinidad and Tobago, have recently launched a short course on Safe Spaces for Children, in the context of CSA. This was delivered through the Breaking the Silence (BTS) campaign, which since its inception in 2008 has been working to build the capacity of all relevant institutions involved in child care and protection in relation to CSA. We believe that creating and maintaining safe spaces for children requires a multi-sectoral approach to empower these institutions to fully fulfil their role as refuges for children. Through the BTS campaign, IGDS remains committed to being a partner in continuing to provide technical support and create capacity building opportunities for all stakeholders involved in addressing CSA and other forms of gender-based violence and abuse.

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About the University of the West Indies

University of the West Indies The University of the West Indies (UWI) is the Caribbean’s premier institution of higher education. One of only two regional universities in the world, it has five campuses across the English-speaking Caribbean and global centres in partnership with universities in North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa and Europe. The University of the West Indies is consistently ranked among the world’s best universities by the most prestigious ranking agencies. Times Higher Education (THE).

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