The year has seen horrific abuse of children. Many wailed, conversations started, but with no solutions in sight. Abuse continues. Politics got in the way and we forgot the nation’s haemorrhage.

In the movies, it’s “take me and leave my child”, but this is not us.

Historically our favoured child abuse was to flog, as we were flogged. We have been beating our kids to “teach them a lesson”; they are dumb as ever. Now the paradigm shifts and child sex abuse is our forte — pornography, sweet-mouth, touching, deep-throat kissing, penetration. Was flogging also perverse pleasure not for correction? Peeps say sexual violence as torture — bruising, limb dislocation like a rag doll, and murder is the extreme. Mercifully, the media do not carry forensic details. We are cruel to our children. God help us.

Peeps speak of institutional abuse of kids by cult-like faiths which posit a life without fun. The school friends who could not attend the birthday party were of this ilk, as parents do not celebrate Christmas either and did not send their kids despite a plea. Will we have a mini “Jonestown” one day? So kids are deprived of childhood by joyless sects, where men have sole authority to initiate boys, girls and define women’s roles in Jamaica?

Where there is excess restraint and mental abuse in a cult of secrecy who flags up child abuse? How does the Office of the Children’s Advocate intervene? Peeps say our child protection agencies should be proactive in inspecting and interviewing children of Jehovah Witness parents and sects that may well be institutionally abusive to kids and silently live under the radar of human rights.

In the year UNICEF launched the “Break the Silence” campaign and when the then prime minister, Portia Simpson Miller announced “an islandwide campaign”, the Seventh-Day Adventists held anti-child abuse marches in Drax Hall, Mandeville Baptist Church was intent on “breaking the cycle of child abuse” , and the Office of the Children’s Registry (OCR) found his situation “heart-rending”. In November the Child Development Agency’s candlelight vigil lit lives. Andrew Holness weighed in at the Global Partnership to end violence against children, and mass demonstrations at Jamaica College finessed a year of child abuse — but for a “game shop operator…caught on tape sexually assaulting a little boy”. Our emotional bandwith is exhausted with two weeks to 2017!

From late 2015 the column inches on child abuse was huge and we had agencies with firepower, but how well is it going? We are adept at plans, strategies, can produce highly qualified personnel, but suck at delivery. Do we measure success by results or by adjectives, as this eveluation: “Excellent intervention, well supported by the community; presenters were inspiring and stakeholders reported 90 per cent satisfaction; the hotel served a good lunch.” But was child abuse curtailed one bit? How many brought to justice?

The British seem more proactive despite our history of abuse. Current issues are hard to prosecute, so they turn to the past as abused kids are now adults. Their enquiry into “Historical child sex abuse”, though stalled, is worth a look. Precursor events shone light on abuse in special schools, homes for the vulnerable (Shirley Oaks boys are to get a big payout), and so famous entertainer Rolf Harris is now in jail. The late Jimmy Savile, iconic DJ of Top of the Pops, reportedly sexually abused star-struck teenagers for 40 years. Star power trumps parent power! Police advertised; one response, then hundreds, and his estate is up for grabs. Police pursued pop star Cliff Richard, but found no evidence of wrongdoing. Lord Janner, QC, abused boys from the 1960s, died in 2015, months before the evidence landed. Justice!

Institutions under investigation now include Premier League clubs as Chelsea, Arsenal. The British are serious and ask victims all questions — investigate. The police follow up “tips and gossip” as child abuse runs deep. In 2012, our OCR statistics said 7,245 reported child sex abuse in four years. How many did not report? Will Minister Robert Montague and Commissioner Carl Williams tackle historical child sex abuse as victims are now adults? Will they investigate entertainers, DJs, teachers, professors, parsons, coaches, Saturday and Sunday School teachers? Will the investigative media assist?

Safe space

Child protection bodies react after an incident — the damage is done, so how do you protect your kids from abuse? Demand safe, child-friendly space free of harassment, fear, adult grooming, abuse, and sexual violence. Teachers and adults on a school campus may be abusers, so screening, training, random inspection, and policies are crucial. A ‘Safeguarding Policies and Procedures’ manual is key; possibly drawn from a national template and nuanced for the each entity.

Child sex abuse may affect a child, family and in the long term undermine a nation. Parents must monitor changes in kid’s energy, motivation, conduct, schoolwork; strange new words; toys, gifts; change in eating habits — did he eat at a burger before getting home? Who paid?

My church in London has a safeguarding officer. The diocese has a safeguarding team and monitoring board. Children are precious, so Scouts, Brownies, coaches, security people, every adult around kids must pass muster. Are the police and child agencies serious about abuse?

Policies work, but random inspection is good practice; ID check, keeping uncleared adults out of a safe space is key. Events which never reach police stage may be crucial. I don’t care a fig about your home life as long as you perform at school, but with kids around gossip and rumour must be checked as being wise after the event fails a child. A school, dance class has a duty of care and must lift due diligence to the level of the threat. Child sex abuse now engulfs many reputations. We were alert to “stranger danger”. Now the threat is in the home, the relative, the powerful and the familiar.— God help us. Stay conscious!

Franklin Johnston, D Phil (Oxon), is a strategist and project manager. Send comments to the Observer orfranklinjohnstontoo@gmail.com.