LESS than 50 of the 628 cases of rape and other sexual offences were successfully prosecuted last year, distressing statistics for child advocates who continue to urge greater collaboration among stakeholder agencies to reverse the current situation.Director of ChildLink Guyana Omattie Madray told the Guyana Chronicle that while 628 reported cases of sexual violence against children in 2014 is a reduction from the 750 reported cases in 2013, it does not necessarily reflect a “drop” in the cases of sexual violence against children, as the number of unreported cases may very well be higher.
Madray noted that with a population of approximately 750,000 persons, Guyana can ill afford to have such a high incidence of sexual violence against children. “This is a matter for concern; the number of reported cases is alarming, to say the least,” she said, noting that there is an increasing number of parents who do not know how to protect their children.
“There is a lack of knowledge; there is shame,” Madray said. She told this publication that there are three Child Advocacy Centres (CACs) across the country. Those Centres have been set up to provide services for children who have been sexually abused and their families. “It is a child-focused, facility-based programme in which representatives from various disciplines collaborate to conduct interviews with abused children and make team decisions about the investigation, treatment, management and prosecution of child-abuse cases,” she added.

CACs

Of the three CACs that have been set up here, two are under Forward Guyana and ChildLink’s management, while the third was established under Blossom. A fourth is to be opened later this year by ChildLink and Forward Guyana. Madray explained that CACs fall under the Ministry of Social Protection’s National Child Protection Programme with oversight from the Child Protection Agency to provide a safe, child-friendly location where trained forensic interviewers interview children about the abuse they’ve experienced.
Madray said that “the CACs are meant to have a multi-disciplinary approach…where the child tells the story once.” At the CACs, the interviews are recorded, and serve as a record of the child’s statement. As the interview is being conducted, a multi-disciplinary team of professionals that include law enforcement, child protective services, the Department of Public Prosecutions (DPP), mental health and medical professionals and victim advocates observe the interview via television in an adjoining room.
Madray believes that this approach is “highly effective” in obtaining a thorough statement from the victim. That statement would then be used as evidence in the prosecution of perpetrators. “At the CACs,” she said, “the children are not forced to repeat their experience; they don’t have to relive the trauma.”
The benefits derived from the CACs, Madray said, are numerous. With the CACs and the multi-disciplinary approach, there is an increase in the number of successful prosecutions of child abuse cases, improved inter-agency collaboration to coordinate and improve child protection interventions with the aim of reducing trauma to both the children (victims) and their parents; and reduction of the re-victimisation of children.
NOT AS EFFECTIVE

But while there are many benefits to be derived from the establishment and work of the CACs, the system has not been as effective as the managers would have hoped. “For the past two years,” she said, “it has not worked…This service is necessary; I am very concerned about the system not working.”
Madray told Guyana Chronicle that there needs to be a more inclusive role of some of the agencies responsible for the investigation of sexual abuse against children. She noted that because of a breakdown in the collaboration of some agencies, children have been forced to recount their stories many times, and thereafter “refuse to go back to court.” Accordingly, the rate of successful prosecutions is “significantly small”, the ChildLink Director said, noting that of the 628 reported cases in 2014, less than 50 cases were successful. “This is an alarming situation that needs to be addressed,” she said.
MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE
Madray explained that while there are many stakeholders who work hard to ensure the victims of child sexual violence are protected, more needs to be done. The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), the Crime Chief, and a member of the magistracy along with the Ministry of Social Protection have worked together with us on a draft protocol with respect to sexual violence against children but that protocol is yet to be finalised. “The key people are the police, the Ministry of Social Protection, and the DPP’s office …they need to buy in on the protocol…this will help in the reduction of children being terrorised and it creates an opportunity for the children to be referred to the centre and work with the interviewer.”
This approach has been borrowed from the National Children’s Advocacy Centre in Alabama, USA and more than 50 professionals were trained through that centre. “We need much more ownership from these agencies…we are aware that children are being abused and we need to send a message to perpetrators that we will not tolerate it,” Madray stated.
Also, she finds it perplexing that the stakeholders are not “pushing for the process”. She added that funding was received from the European Union Delegation (EU) and so she is concerned that the CACs “have come so far” through the assistance of the EU but is not being effectively used. “We want the protocol to make it mandatory to come to the centre…if it won’t be made mandatory, then state if you have a better system in place,” demanded Madray.

ADOPT THE PROTOCOL

“The head of all of the entities need to look at the protocols…we need the protocol to be adopted, endorsed and signed off at the highest level”, she told Guyana Chronicle. Without the use of the CACs, child victims of sexual violence are made to tell their stories repeatedly, thereby causing frustration which can lead to a total disinterest in prosecution.
“As we celebrate Child Protection Week under the theme ‘Strengthening families to protect children’, it is important for us to protect children, safeguard them…ensure child protection is integrated in every aspect of their service.” With the overwhelming number of sexual violence cases, Madray is also calling for there to be more CACs established across Guyana. Currently, the three CACs are located in Regions 3, 4 and 5.
In 2014, the Child Care and Protection Agency’s report indicated that a total of 628 children were sexually abused – 60 boys between the ages of 0-18 and 568 girls between the same age range were abused.

By Ariana Gordon