Crime
Child Abuse Statistics for TCI Revealed
By Sherrica Thompson
Staff Writer
#TurksandCaicos, April 13, 2023 – The three most prevalent forms of child abuse in the Turks and Caicos in 2022 were physical abuse, sexual abuse and neglect, this is according to Tiffany Thomas-Browne, Director of Social Development and Gender Affairs.
Thomas-Browne made the revelation during an interview with Magnetic Media on Wednesday, April 12, as the world is commemorating Child Abuse Prevention month. Thomas-Browne was joined by the Senior Social Worker responsible for the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub or MASH, Kelvina Capron, where concerning figures were unveiled.
Based on the data shared with us by the Director, a total of 70 related child abuse cases were reported in 2022: twenty-nine (29) physical abuse, thirteen (13) child sexual abuse (adult-to-child); thirteen (13) child in need or neglect cases; four (4) emotional abuse matters, six (6) runaways and five (5) child deaths.
Capron revealed that the impact of child abuse differed by gender, but as it relates to sex abuse by adults, in 2022, every case in the Turks and Caicos was against girl children.
“So physical abuse, that’s more of our younger clients, and sexual abuse (adult-to-child) that’s mostly females that we find but all females for 2022. We do have males in the past, but since we’re looking at the 2022 data, that was all
female clients; child-in-need is both males and females.”
Capron noted that most of the reported cases were mainly among the Haitian community, which accounted for more than half of the reported child abuse cases.
“The areas that we see a lot of our cases coming from are the more troubled areas in terms of the Five Cays, the Dock Yard areas and other areas… areas made up predominantly of persons from the Haitian community. About 95% of our cases are coming from the Haitian community.”
The Senior Social Worker also told us that the Department is confronted by an uptick in matters when it comes to child abuse in the islands, but she stressed that does not indicate concretely that child abuse has increased throughout the country; she said it’s more of an indication of heightened public awareness, which has led to more reporting.
“So if you look at from pre-2020 to now, you find that our social workers and officers who are all at the MASH, we are doing more awareness in schools and terms of clinic visits, PTAs and so forth. We are actually doing more awareness in the community, so you find that we’re getting more reports coming in cause people are more aware of the types of child abuse, what to look for and how to go about reporting.”
The information from the MASH manager lines up with who is actually reporting cases of abuse; schools and the hospitals are making the Department aware of children in abusive situations.
While the ladies agreed that progress has been made and plans are in place to do even more. The public is reminded that it is a collective responsibility to safeguard our children. If you see, hear or assume a child is in danger, you should report it. Allow the experts to address the situation and get any and every child the help they deserve.
Crime
“Life in Prison for setting fire” as Wheeland Residents say fire bomb tossed into residence Monday night
Wilkie Arthur and Deandrea Hamilton
Turks and Caicos, September 13, 2024 – TCI Police are not saying how the fire was set, but they do confirm a fire was intentionally set and witnesses speaking to Eagle Legal News Media report that it was thrown into a Wheeland house where it landed in the living room and exploded.
“…it is alleged criminals sent fire bomb (s) through a home, but thankfully no one was in the living room area where it landed and an explosion was heard loudly, no one was hurt or injured,” reported Wilkie Arthur of Eagle Legal on the night of the horrifying incident.
The Police report explains: Shortly after 8 p.m. yesterday (September 9), officers of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force
responded to a fire report at a dwelling in Wheeland, Blue Hills, Providenciales. Upon arrival at the scene, police officers and firefighters saw a structure in flames.
All efforts to contain the fire were successful. Fortunately, there were no injuries. Based on initial reports, the fire appears to have been deliberately set.
The RTCIPF wishes to remind the public that under the Malicious Injuries to Property Ordinance Chapter 3.11, Section 4, “Setting fire to a dwelling-house with any person being therein Whosoever shall unlawfully and maliciously set fire to any dwelling house, any person being therein, commits an offence, and being convicted thereof shall be liable to imprisonment for life.”
Fire Trucks and Police were summoned to the scene on Monday night. Images of the response are shared by Eagle Legal.
Meanwhile, the RT&CIPF is asking anyone with information that may help in this investigation to contact the closest police station, 911, the Serious Crime Unit at 231-1842, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800- 8477 to provide any information anonymously.
***MEDIA RELEASE***
Turks and Caicos, 10th September 2024 – Shortly after 8 p.m. yesterday (September 9), officers of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force responded to a fire report at a dwelling in Wheeland, Blue Hills, Providenciales.
Upon arrival at the scene, police officers and firefighters saw a structure in flames.
All efforts to contain the fire were successful. Fortunately, there were no injuries.
Based on initial reports, the fire appears to have been deliberately set.
The RTCIPF wishes to remind the public that under the Malicious Injuries to Property Ordinance Chapter 3.11, Section 4, “Setting fire to a dwelling-house with any person being therein Whosoever shall unlawfully and maliciously set fire to any dwelling house, any person being therein, commits an offence, and being convicted thereof shall be liable to imprisonment for life.”
The RT&CIPF is asking anyone with information that may help in this investigation to contact the closest police station, 911, the Serious Crime Unit at 231-1842, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-8477 to provide any information anonymously.
Additionally, individuals are encouraged to download the Crime Stoppers P3 app to share information.
Photo by Eagle Legal News Media
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