When a child has been assaulted or raped

IT is a mandatory, legal requirement to report the abuse of a child ( assault, sexual assault, rape, abuse, neglect) to a police official or social worker.

Anyone involved with caring for a child, or who attends to, advises, treats or examines a child, in any circumstances that give rise to reasonable suspicion that the child is being ill- treated, has a legal duty to report it.

In all instances, children should be treated with care, patience, respect and empathy. A child should not be made to make a statement in public at the Community Service Centre ( charge office). Instead, he/ she should be allowed the opportunity to relate the incident in private.

The child’s statement must be taken with professionalism, care and accuracy. The statement should be read back to the child and/ or his/ her parent/ caregiver, after which the child or his/ her parent/ caregiver will sign it.

The officer taking the statement must explain the criminal process to the child and his/ her parents/ caregivers. The officer must also explain to the child his/ her rights as the complainant, including the right to information on the investigation and court process, the right to know when the perpetrator is arrested or released on bail, any bail conditions imposed by the court, when the perpetrator will appear in court and when the child and other witnesses will be expected to testify.

The child also has the right to be given the case number, name and contact details of the investigating officer who will handle his/ her case.

Once a report is lodged and a skeleton statement taken, a docket will be opened. This will be recorded in the Crime Administration System ( CAS) and a case number will be allocated.