Who is really looking out for children to prevent the occurrence of abuse?
One cannot help but notice the increasing trend in criminal conduct against women, children, and the elderly especially since the onset of the pandemic. The lockdowns and other restrictive measures on movement are intended, on the one hand to reduce the spread of Covid19, but, on the other hand, they are contributing to unintended negative consequences such as rape, assault and sometimes even murder. The 300 child abuse cases recorded in January as reported by ChildLink must be taken seriously, especially considering that many cases go unrecorded. The creation of Child Advocacy Centres (CACs) is indeed a welcomed and much-needed initiative. According to the Director of the organisation, these CACs encourage children to speak up about their horrific experiences and offer them requisite treatment. I am positive ChildLink also does a lot of work in prevention, even though I have read on its website that “ChildLinK’s expertise lies in providing child friendly counselling and other psychosocial interventions to children, youths and their families, from a rights-based approach.” This is a post-facto intervention. Who is really looking out for children and other vulnerable groups to PREVENT the occurrence of abuse, especially domestic violence? How much of the work of the respective government departments responsible for the protection of women and children within the Ministry of Human Services is focused on prevention? Has anyone ever seriously considered and mapped out the role of the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health in this battle we seem to be perpetually losing? Editor, I do hail the efforts by all organisations, both governmental and non-governmental, to eliminate and deal with the scourge of violence against our women and children. However, please allow me to repeat a few of my suggestions.
Role of Teachers
Quite some time ago I had written about the important role of teachers in identifying cases of abuse or potential abuse of children. Children spend most of their waking hours with teachers (except during this period of the pandemic). If teachers do engage their apprentices as they should, then they would notice the signs, both physical and emotional. I am positive teachers must have received some training in child psychology during their studies. They have more power than they realise to stop cases of abuse. When a child stops coming to school, a child who prefers to be by him/herself, bodily marks of violence, unusual bouts of crying/sadness, drastic decline in studies, overly aggressive behaviour, etc. – these are signs of a child begging for help. I am no psychologist, but it is plain commonsense. Have our teachers ever been taught to care enough for their protégés? What about the year after year promise to have a counsellor in every school? It is important to reiterate that the state of mind/body of a child does provide an indication about the state of her/his home environment.
Role of Doctors/Nurses
Similar to the role of teachers, doctors and nurses must be trained (if they are not so trained as part of their formal education) to recognise and report signs of abuse. I am positive that health care workers encounter on a daily basis several cases involving victims of domestic/partner abuse. It must become their obligation not only to treat but to report suspected cases to relevant authorities. The government, on the other hand, must clearly identify who constitutes this authority. In some countries, it is the police force and/or child protection agencies and/or department of social services, etc.
Community Engagement
We must not underestimate the role the community can play in its own safety and development. As the saying goes, “it takes a community to raise a child” or “it takes a village to raise a child”. There is also the maxim: “be thy neighbor’s keeper”. All of these holds true for a community to succeed in keeping its members safe. But the first step is to initiate the “community spirit” with mobilization and action. This is where the NGOs and government agencies come in. As a quick reference, the Community Engagement Theory can serve as a useful tool for those who may decide to take on this worthwhile task. There is no need to reinvent the wheel when there are numerous examples of success stories globally. In some countries, it is called “Neighborhood Watch”, in others, it is labelled “Community Watch” or “Community Surveillance”, or something similar. Many countries even have umbrella associations of community groups of various types. In Guyana, we have had a stint with Community Policing Groups (CPGs) and Community Development Councils (CDCs). Unfortunately, they did not enjoy a sustained existence; they dwindled away. I am not sure if any still exists. According to its Manual, a USA Neighborhood Watch program “is a group of people
living in the same area who want to make their neighborhood safer by working together and in conjunction with local law enforcement to reduce crime and improve their quality of life.”
https://bja.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh186/files/Publications/NSA_NW_ Manual.pdf.
This definition clearly tells us that there must be some level of trust between members of the community and the police force. This is a psychological driver, which, if in place, will prompt members to not hesitate to call for help should they notice any sign of abuse or other criminal activity. The absence of fear of victimization and the need to remain anonymous if so needed are part of the process of trust-building between the two parties. This is a humungous task in Guyana’s context, but it is the only way forward if the will is there to curb criminal and other unwanted behaviour within our neighborhoods. To what extent this trust can be achieved depends largely on key stakeholders such as government agencies, the police force, community leaders, NGOs, the private sector and religious bodies. Making our country safe for everyone, especially our children, is everyone’s business.