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[Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] candles in the dark. [Music] [Applause] [Music] memorializing 59 children murdered or killed in traffic accidents in Jamaica between November 11, 2020 and November 11, 2021.
Every November 19, we celebrate World Day on the Prevention of Child Abuse. It is an opportunity for all Jamaicans to reflect on what we have done over the past years. Close to two years of the COVID-19 pandemic have made children even more vulnerable to abuse. One, we have schools being shattered. Two, we have children who have to be inside and at home more than they would normally be. So avenues to express themselves, to play, to interact with their peers, and this has caused some amount of psychosocial mental health issues for some of our children.
Jamaica was forced into lockdowns and restrictions on movement to curtail the spread of coronavirus. Consequently, this removed the safety net of guidance counselors, teachers, religious and community groups who have been able to identify signs of abuse or problems in children. Then the advent of virtual learning in Jamaica, children being online, having to use um, the the internet for for classes, for recreation and all of that, allows them now to be able to access a whole world out there with a lot of unknown and persons who are seeking to to abuse them.
The reality in our society is that children are vulnerable and children are at risk. The reality also is that we have some citizens who believe that taking advantage of children is their right. Us, the majority who care and love children, need to come together closer to protect our children. We are seeing where it is those immediate family members who are more likely to abuse the children. So where home would be a safe space, it's no longer considered to be that.
Since June 2020, there has been a steady increase of over 1,200 reports of child abuse and neglect every month. Overall, 7,000 cases from January 2021 to October 2021. The Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA) has had to pivot, finding new ways to reach children who are being abused. We recently launched our two-on-one child abuse hotline that empowers you confidentially, 24/7, to report child abuse and rescue a child. We are seeing where we require a lot of clinical work, our behavior therapies, persons who can work with children who are exhibiting severe behavioral challenges as a direct result of the trauma that they would have that they would have suffered. The CPFSA now also does background screening for signs of trauma among children placed in state care.
[Music] Meanwhile, through policies such as the National Plan of Action for an Integrated Response to Children and Violence, laws relating to the care and protection of children are now being reviewed. And this tool from a policy perspective, from critically accessing the work that we are doing, critical assessing what's happening in the children's home, we recently did the audit of children's homes to look at how can we agree them, what resources they require. All of this is an effort to ensure that we are ensuring the protection of our children, that we are responding, that we are being proactive, that we are giving children advice.
59 little voices made silent between November 11, 2020 and November 11, 2021. But we can change the statistics. We call on Jamaicans to unite for our children. [Music]
Almighty God, our prayer today is that you are embracing these children which has soulfully left this earth to come home to you. Draw closer to their families and tears and grant them comfort and your peace that passes all understanding. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.