By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

The Bahamas Crisis Centre has reported that 180 children, aged between 2 and 17, were referred for sexual assault over the past 11 months.

Referrals came from various sources, including the Ministry of Health’s referral system, the police's Sexual Offences Unit, hotline calls, and walk-ins.

Dr Sandra Dean-Patterson, Director of the Crisis Centre, revealed the disturbing figures on Friday on the sidelines of the Child Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking Exhibition. Ann Marie Davis, spouse of the prime minister, was in attendance.

The centre’s director said child sexual abuse is reported almost on a weekly basis. 

“One hundred and eighty children between the ages of two and 17 have been referred for being sexually assaulted, molested over this last 12 months, 11 months period,” she said.

“Very upsetting. But I mean, you see the reports in the news, you see the reports [in the courts]. So you can see that this is and so you can imagine the backlog is going to happen now, with these children coming.”

Dr Dean-Patterson also raised concern about the longstanding court backlog, calling it “unacceptable” for child victims to wait three to five years for their cases to go to trial.

    A poster seen at the Child Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking Exhibition held at the Mall at Marathon on September 18, 2025.
  

Social Services Minister Myles Laroda told reporters at the sideline of the event there's a “constant influx of complaints” as it relates to child abuse and his ministry has “its hands full”

He said Dr Dean-Patterson’s words should raise the alarm of the seriousness of the situation.

Even more frightening than the incidents themselves is the “alarmingly” low rate of reporting. The situation is worsened by individuals with crucial information choosing not to come forward, leading to cases collapsing due to a lack of corroborating evidence, Mr Laroda said.

“There, seems to be, in some cases, reluctance of family members to come out and give evidence against the accused. So it could be a variety of reasons why these cases are not prosecuted, because you're going to need a victim and you're going to need witnesses to come out and give information.”

He continued: “There's one thing with a complaint being made, and you hear the uproar from the public, and rightfully so. Then the police are now tasked with putting together a case and finding willing individuals to give evidence. As I said early on, what is being reported a lot of these incidences are coming from in the case of rape of young girls, are coming from family members.”

Mr Laroda noted he knew of  cases where family members have been accused in more than one circumstance.

He added some of the cases that officials receive involves repeat offenders.

Dr Dean-Patterson stressed the need for a more “child-friendly” justice system. She said courts should clearly define when children must give evidence and minimise how often they are required to repeat their stories.

Videotaping their testimony, as done in many countries, could help, but this approach needs to be discussed with the judiciary.

Over the next six months, as part of the campaign, Dr Patterson-Dean said efforts will focus on examining how to make the system more supportive and less traumatic for children.