ADULTS are having sexual activities with children and it is definitely one of the major ills in our society. How is a country meant to prosper and progress when the minds of some of the next generation are being brainwashed and/or groomed by immoral adults, who want to use our children for nothing more than their own sexual indulgence. The adults who instigate these acts know fully well that children are immature and not ready for sex. They choose children because they are gullible, mouldable and are easy prey. Boys are being groomed for sexual activity too, but it is not talked about as much as the girls who are constantly becoming fodder for their step fathers and fathers, uncles and other low-minded individuals.

Once a child has been exposed to sexual activity, he/she can become entrenched in a lifestyle that seems to depend on nothing more than sexual gratification. All this is not the child’s fault– it really isn’t. It is the fault of the perverted adult, caregiver or other ‘sick’ individual, who initiated sexual contact. Of course, early sexual activity may lead to promiscuity and the promiscuous child is always considered ‘wild’. He/she is barely 13 years old and is sleeping around the place, rebellious, truant, defiant, delinquent and everything ‘bad’.

But the still developing child simply has sex in the wrong context he/she may, as a result of early sexual activity, become oversexed. Sex to the ‘oversexed child’ is nothing more than an outlet for their confused and frustrated mindset. They even mistake being ‘used ‘sexually for genuine ‘love and affection’. But they are children, so what more can we expect? Children should not be interfered with. They must be allowed to grow into adults, naturally.

The most ironic point in the whole dynamics of early sexual activity is the fact that the adult(s) who should be protecting, guiding and nurturing the child towards adulthood is usually the same one(s) committing the sexual offence. It is usually a person the child knows and trusts. How is a girl child meant to bounce back to ‘normality’ after being sexually molested by her father? What about a boy who has been sexually abused by a man? Is he really meant to ‘just get on with his life’ as if nothing has happened after such a traumatic ordeal? You cannot see inside the minds of the victims, but their harrowing experiences do live on.

So many families choose to cover up abuse. Mothers know their husbands ‘deh’ with their daughters and they turn a blind eye, are in denial, or they do not confront the situation. They need to expose the perpetrator for what he truly is: he is a child sex offender and should be prosecuted under the Sex Offenders’ Act and jailed for his heinous behaviour. Mothers are far better off without people such as those in their households and around their children. But some people don’t want a ‘story’ or scandal, so they simply get on with their lives, oblivious to the trauma caused to the still developing child — the consequences of which will be seen at some point during the victim’s life span.

The families of some boys who have been raped or sexually molested may prefer to take money from the ‘sexual predator’ rather than expose him and let people know their business. While this type of cover up and bribery might seem to prevent a scandal in the short term, the long-term effects of the sexual assault and conspiracy can be detrimental to the victim’s development.

Children who are damaged today can become the social rejects or misfits of tomorrow. Some of them will be psychologically ‘messed up’ for life, unable to fit in socially or adapt and cope with situations emotionally; unable to hold down a job or have a proper relationship; the victim may be unable to express him/herself effectively and the list of possible negative outcomes continues.

We need dependable, well-rounded people for our future workforce; those who will lift up our country to greater accomplishments, not adults who will impede our growth, or because of their childhood trauma, set our nation on a moral decline. It is the duty of every Guyanese to expose and report child sexual abuse, child neglect, child deprivation and all physical or immoral abuses against children to the relevant authorities. We must not stand by and allow some evil-minded individuals to corrupt the innocent minds and abuse the bodies of our children. We need our young people to build our nation and they need us to protect them.

If you are concerned about the welfare of a child, ring the CPA hotline on 227 0979 or write to us at childcaregy@gmail.com

A MESSAGE FROM THE CHILDCARE AND PROTECTION AGENCY, MINISTRY OF SOCIAL PROTECTION