The child victim toll must come down

Moko Rangitoheriri’s death provoked incensed citizens to march in the streets, demanding answers and accountability from the family, the community, and the authorities. Subjected to horrendous abuse from David Haerewa and Tania Shailer, Moko could never be called lucky. But the public grief caused by his death means he will never be forgotten.

Many other child victims are denied a lasting legacy. They are remembered only by those who knew them in their too-short lives. Children like Duwayne Pailegutu from Nelson, Kelly Mcroberts from Timaru, or Anaru Rogers from Wellington. We owe them more.

Our Faces of Innocents project, launched last year, created a public memorial to child victims of abuse, neglect or maltreatment. It shined a light on one of this country’s most troubling ills, lest we forget.

This week, the project expands to commemorate more of the 209 children lost in the last 25 years and to introduce a new concept: the Child Victim Toll.

We cannot pretend that any one policy, community initiative, or even all the money in the world will stop all innocent children from dying.

But we can ensure this issue has an unflagging focus – that child welfare holds our collective attention not just when another heartbreaking case makes headlines, but all the time.

The Child Victim Toll echoes the road toll – a concept that draws strength from simplicity. Transport safety is complex, but the toll boils down to a single imperative: reduce this number, by whatever means necessary.

Child safety is arguably even more complex. But there is one fundamental measure of success: fewer child victims.

The child victim toll is based on our database of every child victim since 1992. Assembled and updated by our reporters, it is the first and only public source of its kind.

Last year, our database records 14 children who died. In 2009, the worst year on our record, the child victim toll was 17.

The toll is an imperfect measure. Despite our extensive investigations, some children will have escaped notice. That reflects an intolerable deficit of determination from successive governments to directly confront this problem.

We have taken up the mantle of tracking this vital information and we will persevere until a reliable official version is produced.

We hope this toll will inspire more New Zealanders to act: to learn about the scale of the problem; volunteer to help children at risk; donate to support an agency working to prevent child abuse; and report any signs of possible abuse. We can all make a difference.

For Moko, Duwayne, Kelly, and every child victim, we say: we must not accept an inexorable rise in the number of Faces of Innocents. The Child Victim Toll must come down.