Raped by a volunteer? Mentally challenged ward allegedly sexually violated
Published:Sunday | May 1, 2011 | 12:00 AM
Tyrone Reid, Sunday Gleaner Reporter
A MAN offering voluntary service at a children's home allegedly raped a mentally challenged ward at the institution recently.
The alleged incident has spawned serious questions about the need for antecedent checks on persons who are allowed access to such institutions.
When approached by The Sunday Gleaner, head of the Child Development Agency (CDA), Carla Francis Edie, confirmed receiving reports about the alleged rape. She described the alleged sexual abuse of the mentally challenged ward as a "quite unfortunate" incident that "most certainly" could have been avoided.
Francis Edie assured our news team that there was no attempt to sweep the reported rape under the carpet as the police were investigating the matter.
The sexual predator reportedly went to the home as part of a group which painted a section of the premises and constructed lockers for the female residents, all of whom are either mentally or physically disabled.
The alleged ordeal occurred on a Sunday in March this year. While the other members of the group of volunteers were ostensibly busy working, the culprit, it is reported, lured the mentally disabled resident down to the male dorm and raped her in the bathroom.
Staff members at the home became aware of the ordeal after the ward was heard recounting the details.
During a visit to the home last week, our news team was told by a worker that the ward's level of mental retardation has prevented her from coming to grips with what allegedly happened to her.
As a result, attempts at counselling the young woman have not been fruitful.
"If you ask me, that person is as sick or sicker than her," said the worker, on condition of anonymity, as she described the man whom it is believed committed the crime.
Attempts to get more information out of the CDA on how the volunteer reportedly was able to rape the victim on the premises during daytime hours without anyone seeing or hearing anything were met with resistance.
age unknown
Dahlia Cole, who is attached to the agency's public relations and communications unit, refused to provide the age of the ward. She also shot down a query seeking to establish that the ward was mentally challenged.
"Again, I can't respond to that," she said. Cole said the agency was not responding to the questions because the reported rape was now a police matter.
A subsequent visit to the home revealed that the ward has been living at the home for more than a decade. Our checks also revealed that the alleged rape occurred on the male dorm because the workers and other residents were in the designated play area.
While unwilling to provide details on how the breach occurred, the CDA, in a terse statement, noted that it was "committed to safeguarding the rights of children in care". The release failed to say how the agency planned on accomplishing the stated task. It also did not mention steps taken to ensure that there is not a recurrence of the alleged rape.
When our news team visited the home, access to the compound was gained with relative ease. No security guard was seen on the property, and the gate was not closed properly as it was damaged. Even after gaining access to where some of the children were seen sitting on a bench, no adult was in sight. When our news team was about to leave the premises, a young man was seen with a chain and padlock in hand heading towards the gate.