Presentation to Most Hon. Portia Simpson Miller: Prime Minister

The year 2004 was celebrated as International Year of the Family, and the Kiwanis Club of New Kingston chose as its Major Project a child abuse awareness campaign titled: “The Rights and Responsibilities of the Child” with the slogan ‘Protect our Children, Treat them Right’.
This presentation of our music video and CD today is being made to the Honourable Prime Minister as our Club’s contribution to the government’s programmes against child abuse.
The incidences of child abuse in Jamaica are alarming and the aim of this project was to raise public awareness to the effects of child abuse from all sources: whether from actual physical assault by parents or other adult caretakers, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, neglect of a child’s basic needs or any other form of maltreatment.
We aimed also, to remind the public that we all have a responsibility to report instances of abuse.
BACKGROUND
The consequences of child abuse and neglect can be devastating and far reaching and child abuse is recognized as a major social problem. It occurs in all income, racial, religious, and ethnic groups and in urban and rural communities.
Physical injuries can range from bruises, scrapes and burns to brain damage, permanent disabilities and death. Emotional abuse destroys a child’s self esteem. The psychological abuse of a child can last a lifetime and abused children are likely to become abusers later in life.
PREVALENCE
The magnitude of child abuse is difficult to ascertain as statistics are based on official reports and numerous cases go unreported as acts of abuse often occur in the privacy of a family’s home and are hidden.In 2003, our hospital statistics listed 238 reported cases of sexual abuse, 1193 reported cases of blunt injury and 24 reported cases of