Schools Officials Attend Sex Abuse Prevention Course

News  |  December 9, 2015

Principals, deputy principals and administrative staff from government schools have taken part in child sex abuse prevention and awareness training. The Department of Education sent 36 members to attend the programme facilitated by Saving Children and Revealing Secrets (Scars), as part of its commitment to see all of its staff certified. They joined the ranks of more than 300 members of the Bermu... Read more

Genital Nicknames ‘Set Children Up’

News  |  November 26, 2015

A child sex abuse prevention charity is emphasising the importance of teaching children the correct names for their body parts. Giving nicknames to their genitals can cause confusion and delay when children are disclosing sexual assaults, according to Saving Children and Revealing Secrets (Scars) “It sets children up and puts them in a vulnerable position to people who want to take advantage o... Read more

Family Centre, Scars Honoured by Royal Visit

News  |  October 24, 2015

The Duchess of Gloucester paid a visit to Charities House this afternoon to recognise the good work of Family Centre and Scars. Accompanied by a motorcade, the Duchess arrived just after 2.30pm along with Governor George Fergusson and his wife, Margaret. She spent a couple of minutes greeting and chatting with charity staff, including Family Centre executive director Martha Dismont and Scars cha... Read more

Training for Child Sexual Abuse Awareness

News  |  October 22, 2015

DanceSations School of Dance teamed up with a local charity this weekend to provide child sexual abuse awareness training for parents and instructors. Director and owner Holly Pacheco said she invited Scars to conduct the training to help the organisation become more aware of the issue and protect its children. “The training was very empowering,” Ms Pacheco said. “The information we receiv... Read more

Working to Protect Children from Abuse

News  |  October 9, 2015

More than 20 members of the community were trained at the weekend to become facilitators of a sexual-abuse prevention training programme. Police officers, corrections officers, members of the church community and representatives from schools were among those who took part in the one-day intensive course to become trainers of the Darkness to Light Stewards of Children programme. This teaches adul... Read more

Spotlight on Child Sex Abuse

News  |  September 28, 2015

A children’s charity has partnered with Bermuda Broadcasting to produce a three-part television series to shed light on the issue of child sexual abuse in Bermuda. The episodes, starting tonight, will feature survivors, parents of abused children and two local child psychologists, and will focus on awareness, advocacy and the systems in place regarding reporting, prosecution and incarceration. ... Read more

More Than 3,000 Child Advocates — Scars

News  |  September 23, 2015

More than 3,000 people have gone through training to help combat the difficult issue of child sexual abuse, according to Scars chairman Jon Brunson. Addressing the Hamilton Rotary Club yesterday afternoon, Mr Brunson said that since 2011, around 3,211 people have been certified through the charity’s Stewards of Children training programme, which is aimed at helping people spot, prevent and reac... Read more

Scars Urges Support for ‘12 for 12’ Campaign

News  |  September 6, 2015

Residents who want to make a positive difference in children’s lives are being asked to support the latest campaign by Scars. The charity, Saving Children and Revealing Secrets, aims to reduce the risk of youngsters being sexually abused and tries to be a voice for victims and their families. Launched in 2011, Scars’ mission is to end the silence, secrets and shame that surround abuse and ch... Read more

Former Police Officer Jailed for Incest

News  |  September 2, 2015

A former police officer and “respected” athlete has been sentenced to 15 years behind bars for sexually exploiting his daughter and committing incest. Such offences in Bermuda are “fast becoming an epidemic”, according to prosecutor Cindy Clarke — and charity Saving Children and Revealing Secrets (Scars) says the problem is being brought “out of the shadows”. The 37-year-old Warwic... Read more

New Call for Sex Offenders Registry

News  |  July 21, 2015

The Island’s politicians need to take a stronger line in enacting tougher legislation to combat the sexual exploitation of children, according to the charity Scars. “I just think the system doesn’t work,” said Scars chairman Jon Brunson, calling for special court cases to try allegations of child sexual abuse. “This will sound controversial, but the political will to make is very slow.... Read more

Scars: Child Sex Abuse Cases Must Change

News  |  July 20, 2015

The collapse of a court case against a teacher accused of sexually exploiting three different students has prompted a call for changes in the way such cases are conducted. The recommendations came from Scars, a charity dedicated to fighting child sex abuse, educating the community and providing a voice for victims. The teacher had been accused in September of ten counts of sexual exploitation of... Read more

City Hall Event will Celebrate Children

News  |  April 16, 2015

The community is urged to come together and celebrate our children at a special lunchtime gathering today. The event is being organised by local charity Scars (Saving Children and Revealing Secrets) as part of Child Abuse Prevention Month. The month, run in conjunction with National Child Abuse Prevention Month in the United States, aims to acknowledge and boost public awareness about the import... Read more