Spanish-Speaking Migrant Populations in Trinidad and Tobago

SPANISH-SPEAKING MIGRANT POPULATIONS IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

Spanish-speaking migrants who reside in Trinidad and Tobago originate from a number of countries which include Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Panama, to name a few. In recent years, Trinidad and Tobago has received more Venezuelan migrants per capita than any other CARICOM territory (Teff 2019, 7). It is estimated that T&T hosts at least 33,400 Venezuelans, with 3,340 being children, more than any other country in the Caribbean (UNICEF 2020, 2). According to the 2011 Housing and Population Census conducted by Venezuela’s National Statistical Institute, Indigenous persons represented 2.8% of Venezuela’s population. Sixty-three per cent of Venezuela's Indigenous population live in urban areas. Most of them speak Spanish, in addition to their native language. The largest indigenous populations belong to the Wayuu and Warao12 ethnic groups. These Indigenous persons are among those migrating to Trinidad and Tobago.

Child Sexual Abuse in Trinidad and Tobago

Overwhelmingly, females report sexual violence to the police in Trinidad and Tobago. Between 2011 and 2016: 4,956 reports were made to the police; 96% of those reported were females. Of those reports, 39% were reports of sexual violence against girls under 15 years of age, and 79% in total were against girls under 19 years old. The police reports do not disclose the existence of a familial connection between girl victims and perpetrators. Still, it is reasonable to assume that family violence is a dimension of sexual assaults against girls (Baksh et al. 2018, 15).

In Trinidad and Tobago, the prevalence of CSA within communities is a persistent challenge. The Children’s Authority recorded 4,451 reports of child abuse and maltreatment for the one-year period 1, October 2017- 30, September 2018. In 2018 the majority of the cases brought to the attention of the Authority were female (55.2%), while 42.9% were male. Sexual abuse, neglect and physical abuse were recorded as the highest categories of offences against children. During this period, there were 1,459 cases of sexual abuse and offences of a sexual nature; 78.4% of these were female and 21.6% male (CATT 2018, 25).

The10-13 year-age group was identifed as being most susceptible to instances of abuse and maltreatment. Children between the ages of 14 and 15 accounted for 25.7% of the cases of CSA, the highest number of instances in any age category (Ibid 2018, 27)

Individuals and communities identi12 fed as WARAO can be found in South Trinidad, reminiscent of migrations. 60