MANDEVILLE, Manchester — Children’s officer at the Child Development Agency (CDA) in Manchester, Donna Fuller-Henry, says criminal offences involving children as victims, as well as perpetrators, are spiralling.

“When I first got this job ten years ago, court in Manchester was just one day, that’s Children’s Court. Now in this parish the issues with children (in court) are four, five days for the month,” she said.

“Children are committing crimes and the perpetrators of some of the sexual abuse crimes are not adults only, they are children committing those acts on each other, unfortunately,” the CDA representative added.

Fuller-Henry was speaking at the public forum ‘Breaking the Cycle of Violence Against our Children’ at the Mandeville Baptist Church.

The Family Life Committee within the Mandeville Circuit of Baptist Churches was the lead organiser of the event, and partners included the Southern Regional Health Authority (SRHA), the National Association for the Family, the Child Development Agency, the Ministry of Education, and the Centre for Investigations of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse (CISOCA).

Fuller-Henry lauded the partnership, noting that while the CDA as an organisation has experienced some growth over the years, the pace at which reports are made far outweighs its present capacity.

“We like to consider ourselves as a work in progress. There is a lot that still needs improving in terms of our functions. CDA cannot stand alone in the task that it has to do,” she said.

Constable Simone Martin, who is attached to CISOCA in Manchester, said that she believes that boys and parents of boys who are victims of abuse are suffering more because of “stigma”, which makes them afraid to report.

She said that many children are abused by family members and friends. She urged parents and guardians to be vigilant.

Director for Safety and Security in Schools at the Ministry of Education, Sergeant Coleridge Minto, noted that parenting skills and community initiatives need to be strengthened.

He said that reviewed safety and security manuals, being made ready for the new school year, will include aspects of the Child Care and Protection Act to better guide individuals within the school environment of their obligation by law to report real or suspected child abuse as “prescribed” persons.

Dr Michael Coombs, who is a member of the Mandeville Baptist Church, founder and chairman of the one-year-old advocacy group National Association for the Family, and technical director at SRHA, said that the forum presented an opportunity for recommendations to be made that can be passed on to the relevant bodies to assist in the fight to protect children.

Generally, he said, it was also a chance to inform and educate members of the public on the topic.