“I hear a lot of people say that you don’t mind your neighbour business and that is better to keep to yourself. For me I don’t get wrap up with my neighbours but saying morning and good afternoon is important. And if I see anything with the children, like them doing something wrong I would tell their parents.
“That is not wrapping up but we must look out for each other. And that is how I get to find out that two of my neighbours had so much troubles,” a sister talking to me recently shared.
“I was hanging out clothes one day and I noticed a child with school clothes on my neighbour’s steps. She was sitting and I said to myself maybe she got sent home back with the teachers’ strike and all. Now they had only recently moved in and so I was not clear about who was living there.
“Anyways I continue about my business. Later in the afternoon I noticed the same little girl in the same school clothes in the yard. A boy not much older than her was also in the yard and he picked up a cycle and the two headed to the road front.
“Right away I was concerned and there was this nagging feeling that I should approach the parents. You know, I have heard so many stories of children leaving for school and going other places and I said if this was the case then the boy’s parents should know. He could be committing a crime based on his age and all that I was thinking,” the sister continued.
She said for a few days her schedule and that of the mother whom she saw more than a father figure did not coincide and she kept missing her.
“It was like every morning she was not there and I got home late in the evening. So, it took me more than a week to finally get to meet her and still I was hesitant. But I stopped and asked to see her and she quickly came. I asked her if she was at home on the date when I saw the children and she said she was not. I told her what I saw and she quickly informed me that it was her daughter.”
She shared the exchange she had with the woman:
“Dem does go to the same school but you know the strike and suh dem don’t really have school. She deh by she father and suh she come and spend the day with she brother and sister.”
The sister said she felt for a moment that the woman was covering up for her son but all of this changed in a few seconds.
“I told her that I just did not want the children to be involved in activities that they should not and she told me that it is okay and thanks for talking to her. She told me that she did not mind at all and then she said she was in her own trouble right now.
“I did not want to pry but she immediately started talking. ‘You see the man that was here? Well he nah dem children father and now dem saying he use to abuse them’ she said to me. Now I really stop and listening,” the sister told me.
I will now precis what she told me so as to leave out some of the details since it involves the sexual abuse of children.
According to the sister, the woman told her that the girl child told her father and later when questioned the boy also reported that he was abused. The mother said she is being blamed but claim to have no knowledge of the abuse.
“She asked me how she as a mother could know something like that happen and not do nothing. I told here there are many women out there who does that very thing,” the sister said.
According to her, the mother said the man involved is not yet aware of the accusations but that she asked him to leave the home over another issue. The matter is now being actively investigated by the authorities and the children have chosen to leave the home.
“I was so shocked. You know I just stopped to ask her about the little girl and she loaded all of that on me. And then she told me of another neighbour who was put out of her home and needed urgent help. I tried to help as much as I can. It was not much but I did what I could.
“I felt really sorry for both of them but I was also kind of upset with the mother of the children. I don’t want to say she was lying but it is kind of hard for me to believe that she was with someone for years and never suspected that he was abusing her children. Now she is saying that the children don’t want to live with her anymore, well I can’t blame them,” the sister continued.
“But is not for me to judge. I told her if there is anything I can do to help let me know and I will try my best. Both of those women are in distress and I feel so sorry that there is not much more I can do.
“She promise that she has no intention of taking back the man and that she rather live alone. She is anxiously awaiting her children to come back home but I advised her to give them time and to give them all the support they need.
“You know all of this tells me that we just need to be vigilant and supportive to our neighbours. I saw something I thought was not right and I acted on it as best as I can. And even in the end I may have just been able to offer a listening ear to a woman in need. I am still happy. And I did more but just don’t want to like say you know,” the sister said.
I agreed with her that we can be more observant as neighbours, especially when children are involved. Of course, we have to be cautious when acting but once it is a child action should be taken. No one should see a child in danger and not act. Even if you don’t want to be directly involved, call the relevant authorities and let them know. Be that eye wherever you can.
On another note, I hope good judgement prevails and the government invites the union to talks so that the teachers’ strike can end. Our children are suffering and some of them may be in danger, leaving for school and not attending and no teacher to report that they never made it to the classroom. It is about time this ends; even if it is just for our children.
