By Sue-Ann Wayow

TRINIDAD and Tobago is dealing with a “a silent epidemic” of pornography and it needs to be dealt with at a national level.

This is according to Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

Speaking during a United National Congress (UNC) town hall meeting in Tunapuna on the topic of social issues on Thursday, Persad-Bissessar said adults contributed to it.

She said, “Pornography addiction is a severe issue which should not be taboo for discussion.”

Over the decades, there has been an increase in sexual abuse for many reasons, the main reasons being the sexualization of children by adults and the pornography epidemic.

Persad-Bissessar said, “The innocence of childhood is being destroyed with an overload of sexual content being made available to our children. Over-sexualised content is directed at children as young as five years old through video games, through television shows, cartoons, movies, advertisements, and of course social media.”

She continued, “Individuals are also exposing children to sexually charged conversations, innuendo, music, dancing, and behaviours. It is not uncommon to see adults engaging in sexually suggestive and inappropriate behaviours in public or private events in the presence of teenagers in the presence of children.”

There was also the encouragement by adults to have children look older than the age they really were as well as to encouragement to engage in behaviours not age appropriate.

Persad-Bissessar said, “Sexually overt behaviour targeted at children has become normalized because hypersexualized media content and advertisers now determine social values.”

Reminding attendees that Trinidad and Tobago had one of the highest rates of pornographic viewing with content readily available on the internet, the Opposition Leader said such addiction often leads to sexual violence and skewed expectations of sexual relationships.

She said during Covid-19, it skyrocketed with persons being at home.

“There were media reports of over 2,000 cases of sexual abuse of girls and 500 cases of sexual abuse of boys being made to the Children’s Authority between 2020 and 2021, during those  Covid years,” Persad-Bissessar said.

She told attendees, “Trinidad and Tobago is under siege from a myriad of crime issues. We cannot reduce sexual crimes without publicly acknowledging the driving factors behind them, even if it may be and I can see from your faces an uncomfortable discussion.”

Persad-Bissessar made the call to  any willing stakeholder to come together with the UNC to begin discussions on social, legislative, and educational interventions to address the pornography epidemic and the exploitative sexualisation of children.

She also spoke about marijuana abuse, gambling addiction, depression, mental illness and suicides.

“As a society we need to have these conversations to protect the mental health of our citizens and bring back happiness to our country,” Persad-Bissessar said.

She ended her remarks by asking persons to forget the smear campaigns and divisive talk but to deal with the real issues affecting citizens.

“We must make a space for them and create a better environment so I ask you not just to vote for the UNC but let us have these conversations and let us devise ways that we can help those who cannot help themselves.”

Also speaking at the meeting were UNC candidates for Tunapuna – Roger Alexander, Aranguez/St Joseph – Devesh Maharaj, Arouca/Lopinot – Dr Natalie Chaitan-Maharaj and Chaguanas East – Vandana Mohit.