CHILD MONTH: Child Abuse Rampant in Region. Our children must be protected.

One Caribbean Nation.

From our very inception, the Mahogany Coconut Group, has placed considerable emphasis on the abuse of our women, children, and the elderly in our region. As some countries celebrate Child Month, we must once more state that child abuse and other crimes against children are rampant in many of our societies.

In keeping with our philosophy of One Caribbean Nation state, we will not identify any country as the main culprit. Suffice it to say that a crime committed against one child in our region, is a crime against all our children.

Many of the laws pertaining to the abuse and exploitation of children are bordering on the archaic, even when they are “modernized”. Our research of  rape cases and other atrocities against minors, indicate that the legal system allows several years to elapse before trials of this nature are heard. We are also alarmed that consensual sex is the defense of choice in these matters.

Legally, there really cannot be any consensual sex between an adult and a minor. Such acts are deemed statutory rape and we should not allow, skillful attorneys, to use consensual sex as a defense in such cases.

We are also concerned that in many of our jurisdictions, those accused of perpetuating such sordid acts against our children, can remain in the same homes, where the acts are said to have been committed. This is a travesty of monumental proportions.

While we stand steadfast that every accused person is considered innocent until proven guilty, we remain convinced that some escape serious judgement because too many cultural, socio-economic factors and politics, encroach upon the justice system. In other words, regional societies are still lagging in truly protecting our children from all kinds of abuse and exploitation.

It is a major blot on regional development.