by Curlan Campbell, NOW Grenada
The Child Protection Authority of Grenada continues its community outreach campaign All Against Child Abuse (AACA), this time at the Tivoli RC School on Wednesday. The CPA began its community-based outreach initiative in late November at the St Theresa’s Roman Catholic Church in Vincennes, St David and is expected to continue to engage various communities, including the sister isle of Carriacou, in the coming months.
As part of the outreach initiative, free health checks and screening were offered to the public, followed by a panel discussion to further sensitise the community on how they can help curb the spate of sexual violence against young people.
Wednesday’s panellists included the Unit Supervisor of the Grenville CPA office, Adrian Harford, Corporal Jessel Grant of the Community Relations Department Eastern Division, Police Prosecutor Corporal Kenneth Fortune, and Community Representative Michael ‘Senator’ Mitchell.
Risk Factors discussed included:
- Early sexual initiation and risk factors
- Emotionally unsupportive family environment
- Early exposure to sexually explicit media
- Penalties attached to various sexual offences
- Early childhood education
- General tolerance of sexual violence within the community
- Weak community sanctions against sexual violence perpetrators.
The CPA is expected to hold its next community outreach campaign in January 2018 on Carriacou.
