Key stakeholders including  Anguillian government officials are this week discussing the findings of a comprehensive study on child sexual abuse in the Eastern Caribbean.

The study entitled  “Perceptions of, Attitudes to and Opinions on Child Sexual Abuse in the Eastern Caribbean” was commissioned by the UNICEF Office for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean in a joint programming initiative with UNIFEM.

It was undertaken by the University of Huddersfield and Action for Children, with partial funding from the UK Department for International Development (DFID).

The landmark study, which was carried out in five other Eastern Caribbean countries in addition to Anguilla, was principally aimed at investigating perceptions of child sexual abuse; exploring attitudes towards the perpetrators of child sexual exploitation; and garnering opinions on the forms of action that might make a difference.

While not designed to measure the prevalence of child sexual abuse, the study highlighted an alarming picture of a social problem which is perceived to be escalating; has increasingly severe consequences for Caribbean societies; and has multiple layers.

The study involved over 1,400 people through surveys, interviews and focus groups.

The results of the study have already been discussed with the governments of Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, and Montserrat.

Copyright 2010 Anguilla Express, Andrews Publishing Co. Ltd. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.