By Robert Andre Emmanuel
Gender and child justice advocates said that Antigua and Barbuda should implement mandatory reporting laws to address child sexual abuse in the country.
The government has once again raised concerns about sexual abuse and widespread sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among young girls, citing a potential link between STDs in young mothers and health complications in their babies.
The government has pledged to implement measures to catch and arrest sexual offenders and increase public education efforts, with new regulations being introduced to prevent minors from accessing fetes and gambling establishments.
Fete operators face fines of $5,000 for allowing minors entry, while parents can be fined $2,000 — $5,000 if their children are found in these venues, with potential custodial sentences for repeat offenders.
Marcus Kissoon, a PhD candidate in Childhood Studies from Trinidad and Tobago and Dr Arlene Edwards, a counsellor and trauma expert spoke on Observer’s Big Issues on Sunday about the issue.
Kissoon noted that child sexual abuse occurs similar to most sexual offences—when someone derives pleasure from exerting power and control over another—but highlights the gender differences experienced by male and female minors.
“I don’t think any child experience rape greater than any other; what does happen is that they experience it a [gendered difference] from each other.
“Homophobia is used as a tool in grooming processes to keep boys silent because boys know if their abuser is male and because of the society we live in that is afraid of homosexuality, it is used as a way to keep them silent.
“Also, girls [have their body used] to shame them. Girls have been brought up to think that their bodies are the result of sexual violence.
“Think about it; from very young, we tell our girls, ‘sit up properly, cover up yourself’. What we are doing as a society is telling young girls that your body is at fault for anything else to happen to you,” he explained.
Dr Edwards said there needs to be greater education of minors and children about sex, also noted that “we need to start age-appropriate education about boundaries, consent, and bodily autonomy as early as preschool. This ensures children have the language and confidence to speak up if they ever feel uncomfortable or unsafe”.
And while Kissoon explained that he is strongly supportive of sexual education for minors to protect themselves, he noted that “the absence of a mandatory reporting clause in our sexual offences act removes the responsibility from adults to protect children and to view child sexual abuse as a crime against childhood.
“We have to be very careful as a society that we don’t put all the responsibility on the child to disclose their abuse, because sexual education does tell children that now that you have been equipped, you are responsible to come to me.
“We must find that balance between educating and informing children as a form of safety but how to do the parallel to have society know that child sexual abuse is wrong,” he explained.
Kissoon therefore called on policymakers to consult with researchers and child protection experts when drafting new laws.
“We need to sit down with the data and understand how children are affected by sexual abuse at multiple levels — from the ideological to the interpersonal, from policy to institutional practices,” he said.
In August, a 34-year-old man who raped his 14-year-old second cousin was sentenced to 12 years in prison.
During a recent crime forum, the country’s foremost social workers spoke about the prevalence of teenage pregnancy with 11 and 12 year-olds giving birth at the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre.
Dr Edwards echoed the sentiment shared by Kissoon stating that the lack of mandatory reporting requirements allows predators to exploit vulnerable children with little accountability and emphasised that “teachers, police, and medical staff need proper training on how to respond to and investigate cases of child sexual abuse”.
“When a 13-year-old gives birth in one of our hospitals, there should be an automatic response,” she said. “That child needs to be put on a monitoring list, not just for their well-being, but also for the infant they’re now responsible for.”
