We were once again awakened by a report of a 12-year-old boy allegedly abusing other children at an institution. This type of event was brought to the forefront a few years ago with an investigation was put into place a task force to deal with it.
As I read one of our dailies, I was shocked by the statistics disclosed by the Children’s Authority—they received 10,000 sex abuse reports against minors in eight years. Am I hearing right in this twin-island paradise small T&T with just over a population of 1.4 million people? Now do not tell me that these reports are all lies; we know better than that. Let us be real. Mind you, this is just sexual abuse; reports of neglect, physical abuse, and emotional abuse will also have their numbers. I also read that the Children’s Authority gets 4,000 to 5,000 reports of abuse annually.
This is happening right under our noses. I must thank the Children’s Authority for that report, and I do hope it will jolt us into serious thinking about what some children are going through. Those who have the mandate to handle things of this nature due to the high figures would need help. I am just being realistic: those numbers are high, and there may be a need to look again at plans in place.
As citizens, we also have a role to play in “saving the children” of our twin islands. These are minors, etc, whose lives are being destroyed and taken advantage of by predators. Many of them cannot speak out because of threats being made. What is even more disturbing is that some of the sexual abuse is perpetrated by people the victims know—those who are supposed to be protecting them. Could it get any worse?
Children who have been abused do not just get over the attack; many develop hate, anger, and bitterness, which are ever so often acted out against others in our society. If these children are not monitored closely and go without proper guidance and counselling, we can have a time bomb on our hands that could explode anytime. That is real, for the deep hurt and pain can drive them over the edge.
We must all stand together to preserve our future generation. They deserve the best life available, and we must ensure that they get exactly that. Together, let us make T&T a better place for all, and that includes our children. Money spent doing this is money well spent.
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