Minister for Community Development and Gender Affairs Gloria Shillingford has called on the justice administrators to play their part in fighting child sexual abuse.
Shillingford was speaking at the 23rd Annual General Meeting of the Dominica National Council of Women yesterday.
Making reference to discussions in the media regarding the recent sentencing of a man who had sexually violated a young girl, Shillingford said that law administrators need to give support to the cause.
“I also listened with great interest to the media discussions on Friday surrounding the sentencing of an individual for indecent assault of a young girl.
“While I will not speak negatively about the operations of our courts, I wish to call on all who administer justice to work with us and give us the support that that is required to stem the tide of child molestation. A clear and unambiguous message must be sent out that we will protect our children,” Shillingford said.
Is there a children at risk register in Dominica?
If no why not. If yes, then why are social services not keeping track of the welfare of these children.
I like many am very fortunate that I did not experience child abuse of any kind. I was raised in a country where beating a child violated their human rights and it was seen as abuse. No parent should be allowed to beat a child on a daily basis and call it disipline. Yes there are times that we slap our children( we would be lying if we said we didn’t), but we show them love and respect. We do not do it just because we can, or because thats how we were raised.
Sadly the abused children of today (unless they are strong) will be the misfits of tomorrow.
Glo i didn’t know you could wear another color than Red because everytime i seeing you now a days is RED RED RED outfit am happy you do know another color and also speaking a deffrent langauge
Now – what is your take on children at risk????????????????
Enough talk and more action!!! Get the welfare division out there, so many children are being abused in Dominica and no one is getting punished.
We cant wait for someone to report it, we have to go out there and find it. Welfare division needs to get there buts out!!!
what about physical abuse. it is just a damaging to a person you know. please reserch the effect that pysical abuse has on a child. but nooooo many dominicans see it as discipline. it is quite ok to hit a child and we wonder what is wrong with scociety.
i say we put an end to all abuse physical, sexueal……………………..
to your arguement of physical abuse.. plz get real facts and figures.. I do acknowledge what you say about physical abuse being just as damaging, which is true. disipline and physical abuse is two dif things. If a parent gives a child 2 strokes on the hand or back side.. that is difference from a parent boxing a child up in his/her head or slapping them in the face. I will say there sometimes is a fine line.. but I would not say that most Dominicans see physical child abuse as disipline.
Child abuse is something which is very common in Dominica and it hurts. The law is not doing a good job when come to child abuse, incest, sexual abuse, child molestation. Something is very wrong in this country because the agency who say they are for the welfare of the children are not doing anything, as a matter of fact, it is said that within these organisations have some people are are child molesters themselve, so who are we going to solve this problems.
“While I will not speak negatively about the operations of our courts, I wish to call on all who administer justice to work with us and give us the support that that is required to stem the tide of child molestation”
so by that quote the minister basically acknowledges that our judicial system needs a detox,,,bravo bravo,,,i know in skerro regime have some good people but they cannot come out n do as they would like,,,,,what we must do is follow antigua’s lead on that issue,,,,its simple,,,children will be molested if there is a way to keep it under wraps,,,if these criminals know that whether parents/child agree or not,,,they are going to face their deeds then it will put a stop to the crime,,,why,,,,cuz found guilty they will get jail time,,,one less pervert on the streets,,,our children needs full protection from such ills of society
Thats right Glor…..let them know that we wont stand for this abomination within our society.
IT IS OUR DUTY TO MAKE SURE OUR CHILDREN FEEL SAFE & FREE.
there are people amongst us… who cannot provide that security and that’s where the government needs to step in – the rest of society needs to help as well.