ON Sunday this week we highlighted some of the findings of a qualitative study on child sexual abuse in Jamaica done by the None in Three Research Centre.

That study, published in 2021, contained data collected in 2019 which found that survivors of child sexual abuse reported lifelong maladaptive and destructive behaviours.

We were moved to highlight that study after the absurd arguments advanced in an appeal by lawyers representing a man convicted of sexually assaulting an 11-year-old girl on several occasions.

The convict, who was found guilty of grievous sexual assault, buggery, and sexual touching, had been sentenced to the mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment for grievous sexual assault as well as to four years in respect of each of the other two offences.

According to the attorneys, there was “no trauma and/or injuries sustained by the complainant when the appellant committed the act of grievous sexual assault”. As if that were not heartless enough, they further stated that the 15-year sentence was manifestly excessive and unjust as there were no acts of violence committed by their client during the act of grievous sexual assault.

This unfeeling defence, we maintain, is evidence of the general lack of appreciation of the damage done to children by people who abuse them. It also indicates the heavy task we face in tackling this problem.

The study highlighted data from the Child Protection Family Services Agency showing that just under 2,500 child sexual abuse cases were reported between January and October 2018. That number, we suspect, is higher, given the myriad factors that influence some victims to remain silent.

In fact, the None in Three study pointed to this very issue, stating that “after the abuse occurred it was revealed that survivors experienced mixed emotions, including anger, disappointment, despair, shame, and confusion”.

This, the researchers said, resulted in disclosure being delayed in many instances.

Some respondents, the researchers explained, reported that they did not want to tell anyone about the abuse for various reasons. These included:

• fear of disbelief by others;

• fear of what might happen to their family, especially when they relied on the perpetrator financially;

• blaming and shaming by others, especially family and community members;

• feeling the need to protect the perpetrator due to power and status as well as relationship with the family.

“Other reasons given included the long process cases take in court, in some instances up to three years. This was worsened by the fact that they would have to face the perpetrator in court for several appearances during this period, which the survivors found to be traumatic,” the study stated.

The study, as we pointed out before, provides much more information and makes pragmatic recommendations to help deal with this scourge, among them using school-based interventions to raise awareness and improve knowledge about child sexual abuse, increased public education, and empowering parents and other family members to facilitate disclosure and support for children.

That is not too much to ask.