A child protection agency is strongly supporting the new measures being introduced by the Minister of Justice.

Justice Minister Simon Power yesterday introduced changes aimed at protecting children from abuse and neglect, including a new offence making people who are close to a family liable if they do not report abuse to the authorities. Mr Power said the changes would stop people from dodging responsibility for abuse under their noses.

"It will no longer be an excuse to say you were not involved in the abuse. Standing by and doing nothing makes you involved, and this bill makes it clear."

Alan Bell, Director of ECPAT Child ALERT commends this action and hopes it will be enshrined in law in due course. “There is no excuse for the physical and sexual abuse that is happening to our children” says Mr. Bell. “To think we live in a society where child abuse occurs and where the offenders are able to dodge punishment themselves by hiding behind a cloak of secrecy and silence is not tolerable or acceptable.”

It is proposed that adults who do not live in the household but are closely connected to it must take steps to protect any child at risk of death, abuse or sexual assault. The new measures include an increase in the sentencing provisions for child abuse.

“It is to be hoped, if not expected that the new measures will in fact be introduced “ says Mr. Bell. “ We owe it to our children to afford them at least this degree of justice. How are we ever going to deter ongoing abuse if the offenders are allowed to escape any form of punishment. This is the basic requirement. Beyond this we need to get to the root cause of this type of behavior to prevent it happening in the first place.”

ENDS

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