Residents Urged To Help Prevent Child Abuse
April has been designated as Child Abuse Prevention Month and today [Apr 16] Minister of Community, Culture and Sports, Pat Gordon-Pamplin and Minister of Education, R. Wayne Scott attended the official proclamation ceremony organized by Saving Our Child and Revealing Secrets [SCARS].
In her address to the crowd gathered at City Hall, Minister Gordon-Pamplin said, “Bermuda is not immune to the pervasive social and economic challenges that are being experience globally. Bermuda can, however, because of the size of our island home help prevent child abuse in our close community.
“As the Minister responsible for the Department of Child and Family Services, I am pleased to share that members of our team are active facilitators for SCARS and do trainings in the community when requested by SCARS.
“On occasion SCARS has provided support to families as a part of our intervention. Our goals are to provide family support, increase awareness of the need to be vigilant about factors to reduce the trauma associated with sexual abuse.
“It must be noted that abusers do not have any special identity, and the image of the dark shades, hat and trench coat that might be portrayed as a perpetrator on television is not reality in identifying those who might exploit our children. As a community, must continue to be vigilant, open ourselves to education and information about sexual abuse, learn of the support services available.”
Minister Scott urged all residents to help prevent child abuse. He stated, “We know that child abuse can be prevented if we all come together to eradicate child abuse and neglect in our community. Each of us can play a role by recognizing the signs of child neglect, physical, sexual, and emotional abuse and then taking the necessary steps to report the abuse.
“Silence is not an option for our children. We must understand what is abuse and then educate our children and our communities about the detrimental effects that it has in families and in our in our communities.”
This is soooo true: “It must be noted that abusers do not have any special identity, and the image of the dark shades, hat and trench coat that might be portrayed as a perpetrator on television is not reality in identifying those who might exploit our children.”