The clarion call went out to all – to protect and fight the growing incidence of violence against children throughout the country.
This was the message of Mrs. Ann Marie Davis, Office of the Spouse of the Prime Minister, as she addressed an exhibition staged by Bahamas Crisis Centre on Friday, April 25, 2025 in observance of Child Protection Month.
“Protecting our children is not the job of a few. It is the shared duty of all. Families, schools, churches, and government must unite to create an environment where children are nurtured and protected,” she said. “This year’s Child Protection Month Exhibition is more than a display, it is a tool to spark discussions and solutions and even provide insight and education. Every photograph, every story, every statistic reminds us that children depend on adults to be their shield and their voice. We must rise to that responsibility with urgency.”
April is observed as ‘Child Protection Month’ nationally by the Ministry of Social Services, Information and Broadcasting.
The month provides an opportunity for all stakeholders to come together to reflect, to raise awareness, and, most importantly, to commit across all sectors to the protection of the nation’s children, and to reaffirm the sacred, shared responsibility to nurture, guide, and safeguard those youngest members of society.
Bahamas Crisis Centre since 1982 has been a non-profit organization against all forms of violence against adults and children.
Director, psychologist Dr. Sandra Sean-Patterson noted that the number of reports of violence against children have grown from 100 per year to more than 600 per year, to Social Services alone.
“That’s just really only the tip of the iceberg. We know that there is a problem. We don’t have to wonder why there is so much violence in the country, the violence comes from where children live,” she said.
In this vein, the two-day exhibition showcased various images of abuse, preventive messages and measures, and contacts for emergencies, and where to seek help.
Also participating in the exhibition at centre court, Mall at Marathon were: Infectious Diseases, and Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect (SCAN) Programme both of the Ministry of Health and Wellness; Child Protective Services, Ministry of Social Services Information and Broadcasting, and Dignified Girls Project.
“This is an important occasion. During an important month. For an important cause. It is a privilege to be here with you today as we mark the opening of the Bahamas Crisis Centre’s Child Protection Month Exhibition,” said Mrs. Davis.
She thanked Dr. Patterson and team at Bahamas Crisis Centre for their dedication to the protection of children, and for ensuring that issues affecting their safety and well-being remained a visible part of the national dialogue.
“We need to keep talking about it because lives are being saved when we continue to shed light on this issue,” said.
As the lead of the Office of the Spouse of the Prime Minister, Mrs. Davis too has dedicated her platform to advocating for the most vulnerable within communities.
“We need to protect our women, our girls, and especially our children. We are focused on addressing gender-based violence, advancing gender equality, and creating safer communities where every child can thrive. Where children are free from fear, neglect, or harm.
Added Mrs. Davis, “That is why the work of the Bahamas Crisis Centre is so important. For decades, the Bahamas Crisis Centre has remained on the front lines. The Crisis Centre provides so much support, intervention, education, and advocacy to our communities and because of that, lives are saved. But to continue this work effectively, organizations like The Bahamas Crisis Centre need support.”
She stressed that all are responsible for protecting children. “We must be proactive in our efforts by educating ourselves and challenging the harmful norms that allow abuse and neglect to persist.”
The exhibition attracted school students and provided them with an opportunity to glean first hand information about their rights, how to stay safe, where to go and who to call in the event they need help.
“Always remember: you have the right to feel safe, to be treated with kindness, and to speak up when something doesn’t feel right,” Mrs. Davis told the students.
By LINDSAY THOMPSON/Bahamas Information Services
