( L - R ) CLARKE and HAMILTON
MARY CLARKE, Children's Advocate, on Wednesday appealed to members of the public not to shield child abusers. She made the appeal while addressing the launch of the child abuse prevention campaign at the Bustamante Children's Hospital. She said her office was concerned that children who are to appear before the courts as victims of rape and carnal abuse often miss court dates.
"When the summons are to be served for them to come to court, they cannot be found. Mother's don't know, guardians don't know, community members don't know, and after the date of the case, the child reappears," she said.
"I am calling on you today to be responsible citizens - that is being very irresponsible. You are protecting abusers, you are helping no one."
SIMILAR APPEAL
Public Defender, Howard Hamilton, also made a similar appeal. He said men who have sex with one-month-old babies and young children because they believe that they can be cured from a sexually transferred disease should cease this atrocity. "This can no longer continue, men cannot be allowed to go to a four-month-old infant, so let this be a turning point in Jamaica," he said.
Mrs. Clarke said since the beginning of the year, there were 80 cases of sexual and physical abuse cases reported at the Bustamante Children's Hospital. Of this number, 14 could not be traced because wrong addresses were given.
"Parents, guardians, caregivers, you have a responsibility for your children. You must give the correct addresses and phone numbers. Why are you concealing the children who need the psycho-social support to help them get over the hurt that they have felt, why? Why are you hiding the abusers?" she asked.
She said of the 14, five were assaulted and nine were physically injured. She said during last year, there were 8,275 victims of major crimes. Of this number, 24 per cent were children under 14 years old.
Rose Robinson-Hall, chairman and coordinator of the Child Abuse Mitigation Project at the Bustamante Children's Hospital, told The Gleaner that the child abuse campaign would involve in-house training of staff to recognise behaviours that are abusive and to be able to respond appropriately to these cases.
