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  • 3 hours ago
As the nation continues to confront growing concerns surrounding child safety and protection, the Children's Authority is warning that abuse and neglect often occur silently and in many different forms. Team Lead of the Assessment Unit at the Children's Authority of Trinidad and Tobago, Ahhalia Ramdass, says child maltreatment can include many forms of neglect, as well as abuse.

TV6's Nicole M Romany has the story.
Transcript
00:00Team lead of the assessment unit at the Children's Authority, Ahelia Ramdas, says relatives, neighbours and communities must pay closer
00:10attention to signs of abuse and neglect affecting vulnerable children within households.
00:16She says speaking out and reporting concerns can play a critical role in protecting children from harm.
00:24That's a problem in Trans-Tobago when we say that it doesn't matter if you're 1 or 17, I'm going
00:29to beat you if I think that's needed in a way that is excessive and demeaning.
00:35I'm going to tell you anything I want to tell you. I'm going to violate your body because I simply
00:41don't care. I believe it's my right to do so.
00:43So that is a huge problem and we have to face the reality of it.
00:47Ramdas says child maltreatment is not limited to physical abuse alone, noting that emotional and psychological abuse can also leave
00:58lasting and damaging effects on children.
01:01We also have emotional neglect. So withholding that care, love and affirmation that a child does need to develop appropriately.
01:09Medical neglect, not taking your child to the doctor when needed. Educational neglect.
01:15So we have many children still not enrolled in school, even though the laws of Trinidad and Tobago say that
01:19children should be enrolled in school.
01:21We have, of course, financial neglect and then supervisory neglect.
01:26She adds that many cases often go unreported because individuals fear repercussions.
01:32It may be the instance where something has happened to a child and they really cannot identify who is the
01:38individual that has done this to them.
01:40But it also includes those categories that you just referenced, which is the silent communities and silent families.
01:46So they know it's happened, but they're going to keep quiet because of the shame, because of the fear of
01:52what could happen if it gets out.
01:53She advises persons with information on child maltreatment to contact the Children's Authority at 996 or 800-2014.
02:05Nicole M. Romany, TV6 News.
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