KINGSTON, Jamaica — Fewer reports of child abuse were recorded during the COVID-19 period in comparison to prior years, the National Children’s Registry (NCR) says.

According to the registry, before 2020, an average 1,200 cases of child abuse were reported per month. However, in 2020 and 2021 there have been between 800 and 900 reports per month, the registry said.

Approximately 90,000 reports of child abuse were made between 2013 and 2019.

The figures were provided by Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Dr Grace McLean, who was speaking on behalf of the Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Fayval Williams, at the virtual Child Protection Forum hosted by the Clarendon Inter-Agency Network (CIAN) yesterday.

“Anecdotal reports indicate that with more children being at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, they have become more vulnerable to sexual abuse. However, while child abuse on a whole remains a major issue for Jamaica, since the pandemic there has been a reduction in the number of child-abuse reports made to the National Children’s Registry (NCR),” the minister said.

The Child Protection Forum, titled ‘Clarendon’s Children – Break the Silence’, is part of the ministry’s ‘Break the Silence’ campaign, used to encourage children and their relatives, teachers, guidance counsellors and communities to speak up and speak out when they are aware of cases of physical, emotional and sexual abuse.

Meanwhile, the Office of the Children’s Advocate (OCA) revealed that Clarendon is one of the parishes that have many cases of child sexual abuse.

His Worship, the Mayor of May Pen, Councillor Winston Maragh, in welcoming the participants, implored the parents and guardians to engage their children and find out what is affecting them.

 “Children are going through unprecedented times that can be very traumatic and detrimental to their mental growth. One can only imagine the negative effects that the present lockdown is having,” he said.