Adolescent girls aged 14 to 18 are the most affected group in child sexual abuse cases, according to data from the Childcare and Protection Agency (CPA).
CPA Director Levine Gouveia, presenting data from 2021 to the present on Tuesday, said girls aged 14 to 18 are the most frequently reported victims, followed by those aged 8 to 13. She noted that 77.1 per cent of victims are children under 18, while boys account for a smaller share of reported cases but remain a concern in prevention efforts.
She said 2022 recorded the highest number of reported sexual abuse cases over the five-year period, while figures for 2026 remain incomplete. Region Four continues to account for the highest number of reports, followed by Regions Three and Six. However, officials cautioned that lower figures in hinterland regions should not be interpreted as lower incidence rates, citing limited access to reporting systems and support services.
Gouveia said most perpetrators are known to the child, including relatives, step-parents, neighbours, teachers, coaches and religious figures, describing abuse by persons in positions of trust as a persistent and alarming trend.
During her presentation, she became emotional while detailing what she described as operational failures in investigations and inter-agency coordination.
She cited one case in which a child who reported being sexually abused by a police officer was allegedly required to confront the accused at a police station, leaving the child feeling “blamed and violated,” with investigators reportedly questioning whether the allegation stemmed from the child being “vexed.”
The CPA later obtained a protection order for the child, but Gouveia said that after the order expired and investigations stalled, the child was returned to the same environment where relatives allegedly attempted to coerce silence.
She said the agency works “with everything in our power to ensure that children get the justice they deserve,” but stressed it is not the enforcing authority for justice outcomes.
Gouveia also criticised lengthy delays in medical examinations and forensic reporting for victims, describing wait times as “appalling” and warning that systemic failures across the police and health sectors are undermining justice for children.
“It needs to be fixed and fixed now,” she said.
She further noted ongoing challenges in hinterland regions, including staffing shortages, logistical constraints, and delays in investigations and prosecutions.
Despite these issues, she said the agency continues monthly community education and sensitisation programmes nationwide aimed at strengthening child protection awareness and accountability under the Sexual Offences Act.
