Minister Persaud demands urgent action to strengthen response to sexual assault cases

During her visit to Region Five on Tuesday, Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr Vindhya Persaud, convened an urgent meeting at the Fort Wellington Office with police officers, regional health officials, and childcare officers to address critical gaps in the handling of sexual assault cases.

The meeting focused heavily on the delays in conducting medical examinations for victims, both adults and children, as well as the need for detailed and properly documented case reports.

Minister Persaud firmly stressed that any delay or rescheduling of medical examinations places victims at further risk, potentially leading to the loss of crucial evidence and, in some cases, discouraging survivors from continuing with the process altogether.

She made it clear that such practices are unacceptable and must be corrected immediately, emphasising that the system cannot continue to fail those it is meant to protect. The Minister also called on both police and medical professionals to ensure that all reports are thorough, accurate, and reflective of every critical detail, so that cases brought before the courts are strong and capable of securing justice for victims.

She was joined by Permanent Secretary Dr. Erica Forte, Director of the Childcare and Protection Agency (CPA), Levine Gouveia, Manager of the Early Childhood Development Centre, Concheeta Gray, along with childcare officers from the region.