With Region 10 (Upper Demerara- Berbice) recording the highest child abuse cases in Guyana in 2017, with a 22.1 percent of the country’s total, Director of the Childcare and Protection Agency (CPA) Ann Greene has confirmed that most of the reported cases in the Region came from Linden.
According to information from the agency, the overall rate of child abuse for Guyana in 2017 is 15.8 children per 1000 of the national population of children.
Greene recently noted the importance of understanding “rates”, in terms of population size when looking at the number of children being abused, as she pointed out that according to the rates, Region 10 has the highest.
She also indicated that Region 10 has the highest rate of child neglect and sexual abuse. While she noted that there is hardly any neglect reported in Regions 7 (Cuyuni- Mazaruni) and 8 (Potaro- Siparuni), she stressed that there is a high rate of sexual abuse.
“In every thousand children, 15 are being abused. If you look at last year’s stats data, it also means every 2 hours a child is abused; every day 11 children (are) abused. When you look at figures like that, when you give numbers, it must say something for you…in terms of the population of children. So, the rate is saying something…More people live in Region 4, so most of our abuse would be in Region 4, but (according to) rate, Region 10 is the highest”, Greene explained.
In 2016, the highest rate came from Region 7. Greene noted that these are only the reported cases, which she said is “just the tip of the iceberg”, adding that child abuse is “a hidden crime”.
