Confronting Grooming to End Child Violence in Belize

A troubling trend is putting Belize’s children at greater risk and it’s sparking a growing call for action. Reports of sexual violence against minors are on the rise, and with it, increased concern about grooming, a calculated tactic predators use to gain a child’s trust before exploiting them. Now, more Belizeans are speaking out, determined to break the silence and confront the danger head-on. Tonight, News Five’s Britney Gordon takes a closer look at this disturbing pattern and explores how communities can come together to protect the nation’s most vulnerable.

 

Carla Alvarez, Lead Consultant

“We need to remember that the child is not to blame because the child is a minor. The child does not have the capacity to think as an adult, right? The child is under our care as adults, right? So, we have to be the ones to be looking after children.”

 

Britney Gordon, Reporting

How close is too close? Clear boundaries matter, especially between adults and children. When those lines blur, care can quickly turn into crime.  Grooming is how it often starts: adults build trust with a child to lower their defenses and normalize inappropriate behavior. Today, police officers on Belize City’s southside received training on how to better handle child sexual abuse cases and spot the warning signs early. Lead consultant, Carla Alvarez explained that children often become victims of these crimes when perpetrators notice a gap in their care.

 

Carla Alvarez

“Maybe if a child is maybe not getting the love, care, attention at home, and there is an adult or there is somebody who is older who is giving that child that attention it makes the child feel good. The child might start to feel loved and appreciated. All of us human beings, that’s what we crave, right?”

 

Alvarez says predators often start by showering children with attention, using that bond to break down boundaries and pave the way for more serious abuse. Mental Health Councilor, Aimee Jex says that parents can notice the signs if they are active in their child’s lives.

 

Aimee Jex, Mental Health Councilor

“They’ll come with a ring pop or like a Snickers bar and you’ll ask them, “Oh, where did you get that?  So you see, the children are the ones who are just living their lives, and we are the adults who have to notice the irregular behaviors. We have to notice the patterns.”

 

According to UNICEF, about ninety percent of child sex abusers are known to their victims, with family members making up an alarming amount.

 

Carla Alvarez

“We have to look closely at who does that child interact with, and how much supervision is given to children. And we cannot make the assumption that because somebody is a family member, that child is safe.”

 

Jex advises that parents remain vigilant about the adults allowed to form close relationships with children. This includes trusted adults such as teachers, family members, and parents of other children.

 

Aimee Jex

“One of the things you want to start noticing is that hesitation in your child. Do they still have those boundaries where they feel uncomfortable with certain person? And you can start noticing, do they feel comfortable with people that you don’t know that well? Or why do they feel comfortable with these people, and you didn’t even know that they have such a close relationship?”

 

When it comes to ending sexual violence against children, Belizeans cannot afford to be silent. Removing the stigma around the conversation is a step in the right direction but it takes a community effort of holding adults accountable to make sure every child has safe the childhood they deserve. Britney Gordon for News Five.

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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