Guyana says more than 100 young boys abused in first quarter of 2021

Guyana's Ministry of Human Services says, during the first quarter of this year, 110 boys, age three and under, were abused.

The ministry, in releasing the figure on Sunday in observance of the International Day of the Boy Child, said the number was of a total of 404 boys who were abused during the same period.

“I'm sure you'll agree with me that the tendency has been to pay more attention to the girls and protect them, while we show less consideration to the boys. While it is true that more girls are abused, sexually and otherwise, let's not be deceived into thinking that the same thing doesn't happen to boys,” said Minister of Human Services Dr Vindhya Persaud, in a statement. 

The minister  called Guyanese to pay attention to the vulnerability of boys and young men.

“The types of abuse reported include physical, sexual, verbal, neglect, and abandonment,” she related.

She said 110 boys, age zero to three years-old, faced some form of abuse. Additionally, 95 boys between the age four to seven; 147 boys from eight to 13, and 52 boys age 14 to 18 faced some form of abuse.

Cognisant of the prevalence of child abuse, the minister said that systems are being instituted to cater to both boys and girls. Additionally, she highlighted that the ministry's Child Care and Protection Agency, headed by Ann Greene, has been working to promote more awareness of the issue.

“It's true that our boys are hurting and they need us. While they are also groomed for sexual abuse, we don't get them to talk easily about it,” she underscored.

In December, in another section of the local media, it was reported that 113 boys were sexually assaulted for the period January 2020 to October 2020, according to statistics compiled and presented by the Child Care and Protection Agency.

These figures indicated that boys between the ages of eight and 13 are most susceptible to sexual abuse, with 44 of them in that age group being made victims so far this year. However, the figures provided by the Human Services Minister in her press statement show that the largest number of abused boys (147 boys) were in the eight to 13 age group.

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