Neglect remains top of child abuse cases reported

THE NUMBER OF reported cases of child abuse has increased for 2024 in comparison to 2023, with authorities responsible for the investigation of these matters calling for a national effort to tackle the vexing issue.

The month of April is being marked as Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Month in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), and the Ministry of National Mobilization hosted the Children Symposium on Friday, April 11, 2025.

In 2023, there were 241 reported cases of child abuse, with neglect and abandonment topping the list. For the second consecutive year, neglect has been recorded as the highest category of the 260 reported cases reaching

the Ministry. This was revealed by Minister of National Mobilisation, Senator Keisal Peters during her remarks at the symposium.

“In 2024, the Child Development Division received over 260 reports of child abuse and neglect. Shockingly, over half of these reports involved child neglect with nearly a quarter of cases related to sexual abuse, and a significant portion concerning physical abuse.”

The 2023 numbers show that sexual abuse accounted for 37 percent of the 241 cases, while physical abuse made up 17 percent of the reports.

Minister Peters said statistics reveal that the children affected are quite young.

“Tragically many of these cases involve children under the age of 11 which highlights the urgent need for a unified national response to end child abuse.”

She said that through a collaboration with UNICEF, the Ministry will be expanding its Parenting Education Programme which will target 500 parents in SVG between the ages of 18 to 45 so as to equip them with techniques that will ensure that “children grow up in environments where they are nurtured, supported and protected.”

Assistant Commissioner of Police, Trevor ‘Buju’ Bailey in remarks at the symposium touched on the issue of child pornography and reminded parents and teachers in attendance that “the more incidents we report, the more we will be able to put a handle on this scourge of child abuse.”

Click here to subscribe to read the full article in the E-paper!