40.5% Rise In Child Protection Arrests As TTPS Highlights Abuse Trends
The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service Special Victims Unit is reporting a 9.4% decrease in child protection offences and a 40.3% decrease in reports of intimate partner violence, with arrests for child protection offences increasing by approximately 40.5%.
Speaking at a TTPS Media Briefing on Wednesday, Superintendent Roger Reyes gave a further breakdown of the recent data, which shows a reduction in several reported offences for the period January-June 2026.
« Reports of child protection offences such as cruelty to children have decreased by at least 33.1%, while reports of physical abuse associated with gender-based violence have decreased by approximately 35.7%. Breaches of protection orders have decreased by 57.9% over the period. »
Citizens are being reminded that unexplained injuries and sudden changes in mood should not be taken lightly, as they may be signs of domestic abuse.
ASP Leith Jones also encouraged parents to observe their children’s interactions with individuals in their households if they suspect they are being abused.
« Identify that person, how their eyes may follow the child around the house, how they interact, how they hug, how they touch, and how they become close to the child. So you’re looking for every little flag. Now the flags may not be an intent to do something, but I’d rather we identify a flag than allow for it to go as though it is not noticed, and then the child becomes a victim of an offence. »
He highlighted a growing concern about offenders targeting and luring children to send pornographic content.
« This is something that is growing in incidents, and I think that better care and attention should be placed by parents in terms of monitoring activity online, their discussion with their friends, their various chats and so on, towards identifying whether a child may be a victim or whether the child is being groomed into going along that way. »
ASP Jones also warned that the law addresses the failure to report sexual abuse against minors.
« So in those instances where a parent or any adult who becomes aware of a child’s abuse, more so sexual abuse, and that is identified during the course of the investigation, that person is very likely to be prosecuted for that offence, because there are mandatory reporting obligations, whether it be by a parent, a teacher, a doctor, anybody, anyone who a child a child discloses to or who becomes aware. »
While there is currently no data that shows an increase in elder abuse, the TTPS assures that once reported, all matters will be thoroughly investigated.
