Persons Reminded of Duty to Report Child Abuse

Persons entrusted with the care of children are being reminded of their responsibility to protect them from abuse and to report any known or suspected cases of maltreatment, as mandated by the Child Care and Protection Act (CCPA).

Inspector of Police at the Centre for the Investigation of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse (CISOCA), Cherise Johnson, said that failure to report the abuse of minors is a criminal offence under the law.

“I am imploring you all… if you know about any [case] of abuse among our children, please call 211 or 119. You don’t have to give a name,” she said, while addressing a recent safeguarding in sports seminar held at the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport in New Kingston.

Persons with information suggesting that a child is in need of care and protection but fail to report it to the Children’s Registry or other relevant authority, would have committed an offence and could face a fine not exceeding $500,000, or imprisonment not exceeding six months, or both.

The Act establishes a duty for individuals to report suspected cases of child abuse, neglect, or other circumstances where a child is in need of care and protection.

It also names persons who are required to report suspected child abuse or neglect, including professionals like teachers, doctors, and social workers, as well as members of the public.

“It actually means that if you know that a child is being abused, if you know that a child is likely to be abused, you must report it,” Inspector Johnson emphasised.

She called on sport administrators in attendance to do proper background checks of the persons they engage in their organisations, noting that predators and abusers have used sports as channels to take advantage of vulnerable children.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Julian Stephens Reid, in her remarks, noted that anyone can make a report of a sexual offence or a case of child abuse.

“The victim can make the report, the parent, the coach, the teacher, the school, the guidance counsellor, and I must mention that there is no statute of limitation as it relates to reporting sexual offences,” she said.