Trinidad & Tobago: Court denies bail of Venezuelan man who sexually assaulted a child

Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago: A 22-year-old Venezuelan man has been refused bail by the Siparia Magistrate Court. The man was charged for the sexual penetration of a child.

After the incident child was being reported missing since last October, the Police authorities have stated that the suspect had been remanded into custody pending tracing of his criminal record and is likely to reappear in court on November 15 2021.

The 22-year-old was charged with one count of sexual penetration of a child on October 14 following a 2020 police report in which a woman reported that her daughter was missing.

The Police officials further informed that during the period of their investigation, the child was found. She then informed the detectives that she was purportedly made to have sexual intercourse with a man whom she knew.

The Police authorities have stated that the investigations in the case are ongoing.

Sexual assault rate –

Child sexual abuse is a serious issue around the globe. According to the statistics, one in nine girls and one in 53 boys under the age of 18 have experienced sexual abuse or assault at the hands of an adult.

Around 82 per cent of all victims under 18 are female. Females in the age group between 16-19 are 4 times more likely than the general population to be victims of – rape, attempted rape, or sexual assault, the report notes.

The impact of sexual abuse on a child can remain for a long time on the mind of an individual affecting their mental health to a greater extent.

The report further reveals that sexually abused children are four times more likely to develop symptoms of drug abuse, 4 times more likely to experience – PTSD as adults and three times more likely to experience a major depressive event as adults.