THE Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA) is investigating the alleged rape of a seven-year-old child by her 26-year-old cousin in Trelawny.

The incident, the CPFSA said in a release last evening, occurred at the home of the man on Saturday, January 20, 2023. The man has since been arrested and charged.

“The CPFSA was made aware of this incident and we have launched an investigation into the matter. We will be offering the victim and her family psychological support, as well as any other forms of necessary intervention,” the release quoted CEO of the CPFSA Laurette Adams-Thomas.

“The trauma of sexual abuse can live with victims for a lifetime; it is absolutely reprehensible. The CPFSA staunchly condemns all forms of child abuse, and as a nation we must prioritise ending abuse against our children, especially as it can affect their mental and psychological development and influence the kind of adult they may grow up to be. We must stand up for these young victims, by giving them the necessary support and doing everything we can to ensure that their abusers are held responsible for these acts,” Adams-Thomas said.

She has, in the meantime, encouraged individuals to report any and all forms of child abuse.