Aruba: More attention on sexual abuse of handicaps

The following story from Amigoe is just plain disturbing, “More attention on sexual abuse of handicaps.” Obviously this issue would not be brought up if there was not a problem with this that currently existed. Its not just the handicapped they may want to pay attention to, how about all women on Aruba, natives and tourists?

Sexual abuse of minors and mentally handicaps will receive more attention.   That is the result of an assignment in Aruba that Corine Melis finished recently.   Melis is police inspector with the National Police Corps Services in the Netherlands.    

With Posters in Papiamento and Dutch, the attention of the population is fixed on the duties of the Youth- and Vice Squad.   The sexual abuse of minors and mentally handicaps is still a taboo on the island.

Surprise, surprise … the weakest and most vulnerable, the mentally handicapped, are sexually abused. It sounds very much like other scenarios where the weakest and most vulnerable among groups of tourists are chosen as well. What is most amazing is the fact that Aruba claims they had no one qualified to interrogate the mentally handicapped. Seems they have no one able to deal with the non-mentally handicapped either.

There was a need for Melis’ instructions, because the Police Corps in Aruba had no expertise in-house for the interrogation of mentally handicaps.  

Before she joined the Police Corps, she was youth leader in an institution for mentally handicaps.   Once with the police, she became youth- and vice detective.

Read the full story at Amigoe, March 12, 2007

More attention on sexual abuse of handicaps  

ORANJESTAD – Sexual abuse of minors and mentally handicaps will receive more attention.   That is the result of an assignment in Aruba that Corine Melis finished recently.   Melis is police inspector with the National Police Corps Services in the Netherlands.      

Melis has put guidelines and proposals for improvement of the interrogation of mentally handicaps on paper for employees of the Youth- and Vice Squad in Balashi.   The studio where the interrogations take place is refurnished and made customer-friendly.

With Posters in Papiamento and Dutch, the attention of the population is fixed on the duties of the Youth- and Vice Squad.   The sexual abuse of minors and mentally handicaps is still a taboo on the island.   The program Cerca Dika on TeleAruba will pay attention to this subject.   There was a need for Melis’ instructions, because the Police Corps in Aruba had no expertise in-house for the interrogation of mentally handicaps.  

Before she joined the Police Corps, she was youth leader in an institution for mentally handicaps.   Once with the police, she became youth- and vice detective.

She was on vacation in Aruba last year and stayed with a friend that, as psychologist, was committed to the Foundation for Mentally Handicaps (SVGA).   There was a case of sexual abuse of a mentally handicapped minor right in that period of time.   Due to her personal interest, she got in contact with Eric Lake, Youth- and Vice Squad inspector in Aruba and later also with chief superintendent of police Peter de Witte.   Melis received the go-ahead for a work assignment in January, which she could use pretty good for an internal study in the Netherlands.   The instructions that are now on paper are totally in accordance with the guidelines of the Public Prosecutor.  

Tuyo Werleman of SVGA said that he is very pleased with the result of this assignment.   Not only the police received instructions, also the employees of SVGA received usable information from Melis on recognizing customers’ behaviour problems that derive from sexual abuse.   Inspector Lake was also pleased with the results.   Melis said that now that more attention is paid to the possibility to report sexual abuse, the department can expect a bigger number of complaints.   The department might have to consider increasing her staff in the future.