Social media pivotal in fight against child abuse - Floyd Green

Minister of state in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information (MOEYI), Floyd Green has said that a multiplicity of methods is required to keep campaigns against the abuse of children active but core among them presently, is social media.

Speaking at a Gleaner Editors’ Forum on children’s issues recently, Green stated that communication channels such as social media were inexpensive and commanded the interest of the target audience.

“We have to find creative ways to keep the message out there but again, we also have to try and ingrain it in everything we do. We’ve instructed our teams to enhance their social media presence and ways in which people can reach them. So for instance, the ministry can now be contacted via Whatsapp,” said Green.

In citing the strength of his newly merged ministry, Green added that both phases of the ‘break the silence campaign’ and other anti-child abuse programmes such as ‘Alia’s story’, a cartoon miniseries aired on social media, were well executed across all platforms.

“Whatever project we embark on, we’re producing a body of work that can last the test of time. If child services are doing something, it’s now reaching into the schools to incorporate students as well, so the key is to spread the message far and wide.”

Green disclosed that the Office of the Children's Registry (OCR) would soon be partnering with Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts to tour schools and dramatise some of the incidents being perpetrated.

“Drama is a clear way to better connect with people and encourage them to want to tell their individual stories.”