In 2017, only 30 percent of 841 cases of child sexual abuse were referred for therapy, which means that it is possible that “close to 600 victims… may never receive trauma-focused therapy to heal from the trauma,” according to ChildLink Forensic Interviewer Nicole Whaul.
Whaul, during a presentation at the University of Guyana’s 14th Turkeyen and Tain Talks, held at the Pegasus Hotel on September 21st under the theme “A Better Life for Youth: Juvenile Justice in Guyana,” pointed out that those who do not receive therapy are “likely to grow into adulthood struggling to suppress their childhood trauma.”
She noted that child sexual abuse victims are in urgent need of trauma-focused therapy and other psycho-social interventions.
Whaul related that a recent study, “Crises in the Dark- Child Sexual Abuse in Guyana Today,” which was conducted by ChildLink, showed that an abused child is at increased risk of experiencing the same form of abuse by multiple perpetrators. She said that some of the children who participated in the study reported being abused by at least five different persons.
Whaul noted that the study found a number of consequences of sexual abuse, including health issues. Four out of 338 children, whose cases were referred to the Centre from 2014 to present, suffered ruptured uteri as a result of the abuse and needed to be hospitalized. Some abuse also resulted in pregnancy and childbearing. Other victims contracted HIV, gonorrhea, syphilis and other sexually transmitted infections.
Whaul also warned that children who are sexually abused and receive no intervention are likely to engage in juvenile delinquency behaviour, such as truancy.
Some of the victims referred to the centre, she said, were unable to focus in school. “Some said their school performance suffered. Others said they began getting into trouble at school. Many stopped attending school,” she said.
She added that 82 of the children referred to the centre revealed that the perpetrator of their abuse was either a family member or a non-family member who was known and trusted by them or their relatives.
She said some victims were forced to move out of their homes to live with other family members or at an institution, while most times their abuser continued to live with the immediate family after the abuse.
While noting that children are less likely to identify perpetrators who are close to them, she said that family members are likely to protect other family members.
Despite the harrowing statistics, however, Whaul acknowledged that there has been some progress with addressing the issue. Whaul stated that since the launch of the sexual offenses court last year, there has been approximately an 80% success rate of prosecution of child sexual abuse cases.
“The children of Guyana are fed up and disgusted with us, as adults, who are in the position of trust. If we are not held accountable as professionals, then our children will continue to be vulnerable. Often, we are the only hope that children have after they were not believed by their families and our approach to the case can either give the child hope and pave the path of justice and healing or it can add to the destruction of that child,” Whaul added.
Whaul said that what is needed is a national plan for the prevention of child sexual abuse, as well as child advocacy centres established in all 10 administrative regions so that victims can access specialised counselling. Additionally, she said there is need for enhanced training of prosecutors and the commitment of the opposition, civil society and other stakeholders to sustained, preventative initiatives.
Social worker Nicole Cole, during the question and answer segment, would later reveal that statistics show that for the first six months of 2018, 393 girls and 88 boys, a total of 481 cases, were victims of abuse, while there were 238 reported cases of child sexual abuse for the same period. She described these as staggering statistics.
