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And while that act of child abuse is enough to make anyone shake their heads in weary disgust, while Kendra Madrill was being bailed, the fathers against sexual exploitation and abuse of children were starting up their march in downtown Belize City. Their aim was to bring attention to what they feel is chronic societal problem: that child molesters continue to elude prosecution either by slipping through legal loopholes, or by intimidating their young victims. And while it may be a big problem, I found that only a small crowd cared enough to come out and protest against it.

Jacqueline Godwin Reporting,
It did not have the huge turnout anticipated by Fathers Against Sexual Exploitation and Abuse of Children and also looking at the just over thirty persons who marched for the cause there were far more women than men.

Jacqueline Godwin,
I know you guys were expecting a huge gathering of protestors. This must be pretty disappointing.

Timothy Grant, Treasurer – FASEAC
“No really it is not. If it is one or two fathers that we have convinced to come out, that means that we have done something positive.”

Jacqueline Godwin,
Seems that we have more women than men out here this morning.

Timothy Grant,
“Well that has been the continuing trend and we are hoping that today fathers will see that they need to be out here, they need to be visible out here and give their support to this cause.”

Dara Robinson, Protestor
“I still shock to come out and do this and I don’t see how they see it but to me it is a poor turnout to hear the cries and the call in on the talk shows and thing. This is a poor turnout and it shocked me. This is the reason why people continue doing what they do at our country because we don’t stand up for nothing. The only time people come out in crowd is when politicians are bribing them and thing and so to me I came to give my support from my heart you understand but I am shocked at the turnout.”

The peaceful protestors armed with placards in hand spoke out against sexual crimes affecting children and for the strengthening of the judicial system.

Timothy Grant,
“We are out here today to garner some support from the public to bring the constant abuses of children and women, to bring this to the forefront and try to get the public support so that we could sign some petitions, get as many signatures as we could out here, bring it to the media, and from there we take it to the Attorney General’s office so that we could see if they could put in some corrective measures, some marked improvements to make sure the proper people are in place who are judging our peers. Also we want to improve the amount of human resources that are in the Director of Public Prosecution’s Office. Increase that number and the competency within that office and also to look at the competency within the prosecution branch of the Police Department and their investigative branch as well. So those are the four major areas we are looking towards to get that up to the Attorney General’s office and try to get some something started.”

Dolores Balderamos Garcia, Protestor
“The advocacy has to be not only to improve the judicial system but also to make sure that people come forward and more and more people are coming forward now, more and more people are aware of protecting children, and I want to applaud the group. I am not formally associated with the group but I came out to show my solidarity. I have to come out to show my solidarity. This is an issue that you will not find many numbers of people coming forward but it is something that we really pretty much have to keep at the top of the agenda and I think we have to keep advocating for betterment, improvement in the judicial system, and also for much more sensitivity because I think the judicial is one thing and I would like to play my role and offer my help to the people who have this organization.”

Bernard Adolphus, Protestor
“Hope the other men and people of this country realize what is happening and if it is possible to get some changes done with the legislation. For example, the sentence for rape is normally life but at least we should start with a minimum of 25 years.”

The picketers represented a wide range of society but all with one concern and that is the sexual exploitation and abuse of women and children

Dianne Finnegan, Protestor
“I am a mom of two anything that affects our children, anything that affects young people it is part of our business and we must take this as something that is their business but our business. Coming into the homes and abusing our young babies is past the limit and I think any mother and father should be able to feel this and be out here today in solidarity and support the initiative of Fathers Against the Sexual Abuse of Children.”

As the peaceful march made its way pass the supreme court building and then around the battlefield park there was also the petitioning of signatures from people who were watching the picketing. According to one volunteer not too many persons were keen to put their names on the paper.

Volunteer,
“Well many people I ask, some mostly young, they said never, no. I ask why, they say because they noh deh pan that. But we have to be the ones deh pan that because many of us have children and we wouldn’t want that happen to our children because I am a mother of four.”

Jacqueline Godwin,
Are you surprised at the small turnout?

Volunteer,
“Kind surprised but I would like it to be more.”

Jacqueline Godwin,
How optimistic are you that the petition will be well received and there will be some action at the end?

Timothy Grant,
“I am very optimistic because just in two hours yesterday I was able to obtain over 149 signatures already and that is because the word hasn’t really been out. I am hoping that after today people will see the importance of our cause and will lend their support to this important issue in our society today.”

The Fathers Against Sexual Exploitation and Abuse of Children group is also appealing for a newly constructed forensic lab with DNA testing and other essential equipment that should increase the conviction rate for sex offenders.