JAMAICA: Justice Ministry Using Animation to Provide Therapy for Child Crime Victims

#Kingston, June 1, 2021 – The Ministry of Justice is using animation to offer therapeutic intervention to children who are victims of crime.

On Friday (May 28), the Ministry, through the Victim Services Division (VSD), launched an animation bundle comprising eight short films, each  approximately one to three minutes in length, that provide critical lessons to help children cope with violence and life-changing trauma.

They were produced by the VSD under a special intervention project to address some of the most critical issues affecting the child-victim population. 

A child-friendly character called “Justy” is a central figure in the animations.  Justy is an action hero/alter ego, representing wisdom, hope and solution.  He shows up in each of the animations in the middle of a crisis to provide a solution that can easily be utilised by children in need of help.  It is intended that Justy will not just appear to children but appear in children as they internalise his message and share with others.

The animation films are already being shown on electronic screens in some popular areas across the island, and efforts are being made to distribute them more widely.  They are not only designed to bring a message to children but also to encourage them to share the lessons, thus becoming a source of hope to other children. 

Speaking at the virtual launch, portfolio Minister, Hon. Delroy Chuck, said that the intervention will provide support for children in vulnerable circumstances.

He said he is particularly concerned about those in single-parent households. “What happens in these circumstances is that children are at risk many times because they do not get the parental support… the attention they need and those children sometimes get abused and that is where the VSD has to come into play,” he noted.

The VSD has the responsibility of providing psychosocial support for victims of crime and is dedicated to the advancement of victim rights, including those of children.

Approximately 48 per cent of the VSD’s clientele are persons under the age of 18.

Release: JIS

Contact: Ainsworth Morris

Photo Credit: Ministry of Justice