Jamaica child protection study flags sexual violence, discipline and accountability gaps

A newly released study on child protection has found that Jamaica is performing well in areas such as child survival, access to health care and reduced poverty, but is still falling behind in shielding children from sexual violence and other forms of harm.

The findings came from Out of the Shadows, a study that assesses how countries protect children from sexual violence. Maureen Samms-Vaughan, chairman of the Early Childhood Commission, said Jamaica’s performance shows serious weaknesses in child safety.

“We have failed miserably in protecting our children. Complete failure,” Samms-Vaughan said, pointing to psychological abuse, physical punishment, wider violence and child homicide as major concerns. She said 74 children were killed in Jamaica over the 10-year period from 2013 to 2022.

The report noted that corporal punishment appears to be declining, though slowly. It also identified poorer children, vulnerable boys and children with disabilities, especially where services are limited, as groups facing heightened risk.

The study also raised concern about how young children receive information, particularly through screens. Samms-Vaughan warned that many parents believe educational screen use helps young children, but said too much exposure can harm development. She said children ages three to six should have no more than one hour of screen time daily, while older children from age six should be limited to two hours.

Discipline practices were another major concern. According to the study, 96 per cent of children reported violent discipline in the previous month, while 59 per cent reported physical punishment. Samms-Vaughan also highlighted psychological punishment, including insults and degrading comments, saying it can be as damaging as physical abuse.

Jamaica placed 20th among 60 countries in the study and received an overall score of 51.5. Accountability was identified as the weakest area, while prevention mechanisms scored 60 out of 100, healing or post-abuse response stood at 70 per cent, and justice for children was rated at 50 per cent.

The recommendations include strengthening laws and policies, advancing a full ban on corporal punishment in homes and schools, and expanding public education on stable caregiving, parenting and the effects of violence on children.