The matter of child abuse is a very ‘touchy’ topic for many Jamaicans, especially among mothers, and in particular, when the abuse involve little girls. The Sunday Observer ventured into Emancipation Park in St Andrew, last Friday to find out from Jamaicans what they would do if their spouses were found to be molesting their children. These are some of their responses:

Norris Fuller

“I would have to discuss it with my spouse. But it (relationship) would have to end anyway. Some people wouldn’t believe the child, but I would have to give him or her the benefit of the doubt until proven otherwise. Not because of financial reason it should mean that you would want to keep that spouse around and neglect what the youth says. And you may have strong ties with the person, so you may not want to take any legal stance. But it all depends on how severe, but any abuse is abuse so it is best to discuss the whole matter and then take the best steps afterwards. But mostly, I would have to get some counselling for the child”

Rohan Jackson

“Definitely, I would take it to the law. I would report it to the station and make the police decide after that. Because that is a serious thing. Probably in my own state I wouldn’t think rationally. So I would put it into the hands of the police and let them deal with it. But it would devastate me a lot. I would need some serious prayers, also, members of the church would have to pray for me in that situation. But I would definitely feel overwhelmed about it.”

Archibald Forrest

“It depends on how serious it is, and in what way they have abused the child. But in any case I would get mad, really mad. And yes the law comes first, but sometimes to how the thing happen or what happen, how you get mad you don’t even know how you would respond. And it also depends on how the person responds to you too, although the person (spouse) can’t tell me nothing nice to sweet me up, but you have some people who are really aggressive and if you approach them they would want to fight you same time. But as long as the person is guilty of it, bwoy, I would take some rough actions. I love my children bad, and I don’t want my children to leave from ’round me, but that person (spouse) have to leave, they couldn’t even walk on the same street with me”

Diane Smith

“Well, as a mother I would have to investigate it and take it up with the relevant authorities. But I wouldn’t ignore it. I would feel bad as a person, my trust would be betrayed as a mother and as a woman to know that I have a responsibility and I let my daughter down. Also to know that my spouse let me down, that would really hurt my trust for that person. But as I say I would take it to the relevant authorities. I would go to the police and then they will tell me where they go to deal with issues like abuse for children.

Damion Wallace

“The first ting weh me wudda do, because sometimes people can say things wrong, so I would have to find out for myself. After me find out, me nah meck di police dem deal wid it; me a deal wid it myself. Because me have my spouse and we connected and the plan is to start a family. So why now will she damage the relationship between me and the relationship wid my child? So I am going to do what I tink right fi me. Because when me find out that, me nah tink bout police, me agguh just teck the action fi myself. Is either me mash har up or summen. But I would take my child to the doctor and meck sure that it is true. Because I want proof, I have to cover myself. But when you look pon it, summen is going to wrong wid dat child; some mental problem or summen. So I would have to take my child and counsel my child so I can bring that child how I want her to grow up.”

Marcella Fagan

“I am supposed to know my spouse, know his background and his family background. But if I find him molesting my child, first of all I am going to think twice, I am going to wonder if him mental (insane). So I am going to take him to the doctor and make sure him get a thorough check up to see if him mental, because he is my spouse and I love him so I am not going to just call down disgrace on him. But if that doctor tells me that nothing is wrong with him, then you know how it agguh go between me and him. First thing, him not going to get away with it so easy because that is going to have an effect on my child for the rest of his life or her life. But I don’t think that I am going to the police because wid my family background we wudda teck it up inna we own hand. Maybe when we done wid him, him cyaan molest nobody else child. But if the doctor really see something that he is mental, then I would have to look after him. And I would have to get my child some counselling”

Michelle Davis

“I would kill him. But then again I would have to sit and look into it first because I know that if I kill him then I am going to jail and I would be leaving my child. But if I find that out I would have to talk to my child and then go to the police station because he would have to get out of my house and out of her life. It wouldn’t matter if it is her father, stepfather or whatever, that is what I would do. Then I would have to carry the child to a counsellor, someone to sit down and talk with har because I am a mother and I would like to have more view on how to deal with it. So I would carry her to the counsellor and both of us would sit down and deal with har. But I think I would kill him, because sometimes when you find out certain things, most time your only reaction is that. That’s the first thing that come to my mind.”

Sophia Evans

“Seriously I would just kill him because he is a man and he should know that my daughter is just a child. So I would definitely kill him. I would kill him and then go to the police afterwards. I am willing to face the consequences. The police dem not going to believe that something like that happen, they will think it is false report or summen. So I would just kill him first and then go to the police.”