THE issue of sex is still somewhat of a taboo subject in Guyana and rarely one would find parents discussing the “birds and the bees” with their children. As such, children and adolescent teenagers are left to figure out and explore on their own what sex is.

It is not surprising, therefore, why we have numerous cases of unreported sexual abuse; most incidents occur in the family, so the abuse is either buried deep or parents/ guardians refuse to believe the victim. Many parents do not want their child labelled as a survivor of sexual abuse and make the decision to deal with it privately, rather than involve law enforcement. When that decision is made, most often the abuser is emboldened to repeat the behaviour while he or she, unfortunately, remains anonymous.

Earlier this year it was reported by this newspaper that Guyana recorded, at March, 400 cases of sexual abuse against children in just three months, a figure which Resident UNICEF Representative, Sylvie Fouet says was alarming. The number of cases last year was over 1000. The UNICEF representative signalled the need for more to be done in order to address the scourge which has been plaguing society for years. She believes that building capacity will help Guyana to find solutions, which will result in the reduction of those numbers and even the prevention of such cases. As part of its contribution, UNICEF had assisted in the launching of several sexual offences courts locally.

In this regard, the Childcare and Protection Agency (CPA) and other agencies that play a role in the fight against sexual molestation have a huge challenge in reaching out to victims. We’ve all heard and read the horror stories of children being raped or touched inappropriately either by their fathers, close relatives or a family friend and most of these victims are girls.

In this regard, we believe that the task of addressing sexual abuse in a holistic manner should not rest solely on the shoulders of any one agency; it requires the collaborative effort of all stakeholders, including the Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and the religious community. An aggressive sensitisation campaign on sexual abuse is needed if the issue is to be tackled effectively; visits to various schools, especially in the hinterland areas, are a must.

It should not be ignored that parents play an important role in this regard and evidence shows that they are often the first to identify signs that something is seriously wrong with their child, but with the evolution of technology, mobile phones, social media and apps have become a major connection between children and abusers.

The role of parents in safeguarding is much harder, because of the difficulties of controlling these media, which are used by sexual abusers to coerce, manipulate, threaten, control, flatter and entice children. As such, we believe that as a society, we should help parents and guardians understand their responsibility to teach their children how to protect themselves from predators. Parents need to recognise that the responsibility to impart this critical information belongs only to them and no one else. Other appropriate adults can reinforce, remind, and be supportive of the parental process, but the responsibility rests with the parents. Our societies have a responsibility to help children thrive. The effects of childhood sexual abuse are long-lasting and often devastating. We believe that children everywhere deserve a positive future: the chance to grow and learn in safety – free from the threat of sexual abuse.