Fifty-one percent of child abuse cases investigated by the Childcare and Protection Agency (CPA) between January and October 2020 were perpetrated by mothers according to a release today from the agency.
Fathers accounted for 26 percent of the recorded cases, step-parents 8 percent and relatives – 6 percent.
The figures were released on December 16, 2020 during CPA’s annual staff conference, which was held virtually under the theme, “We are in this together: working with children and families in the New Normal for 2021”.
Nationally, Region 1 saw the highest rate for all categories of child abuse with 17.8 per 1000 children, followed by Region 7 with 15.2 per 1000 children and Region 3 with 15.1 per 1000 children.
While neglect was the highest form of abuse followed by sexual abuse, Ann Greene, CPA’s Director said there was a decrease in child abuse reports for the corresponding period – January to October 2020 – when compared to previous years.
“The total child abuse reports for the period [Jan to Oct] were 2,761 as against 3,757 in 2019 and 4,368 in 2018. This represents a 26.5% decrease when compared to the previous year (2019) …but this by no means signal a decrease in child abuse. It is more under-reporting due to children being more confined to the home environment,” Greene said.
She added, “Already there are trends surfacing that highlight women and children are at greater risk of abuse and harm in the home at this time of the pandemic when they are out of public view … in lockdown situations with abusers. To think of a man setting fire to the house where his wife and two lovely young daughters are inside and burning them alive. I have not yet wrapped my head around that…. then to learn of the child that is fighting for her life in the hospital after being lashed on the head and tossed in the swamp reportedly by her mother. These are the latest of the number of horror stories that gripped our attention during the year.”
The CPA said that the contributing factors for child abuse during COVID-19 were stress, anxiety, economic uncertainty, mental health and addiction.
The release said that the Agency’s Social Workers were applauded for their hard work despite the many challenges they face, including high caseloads. Describing them as the “unsung heroes” for children’s welfare, Greene pledged to “develop strategies to deal with these challenges”.
