Child abuse to include physical, sexual and neglect continues to be prevalent in the Virgin Islands. Photo: Internet Source

(L-R) Talking Points Co-hosts Elvin G. Grant, Mrs Violet Thomas-Gaul, guests Miss RVIPF & CFPWA True Blue Beauty Constable Tresan R. Sharpe and Mrs BVI Rhonda R. Victor-Pinnock. Photo: Facebook

Constable Tresan R. Sharpe, who is Miss Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) 2024 and the inaugural Caribbean Federation of Police Welfare Associations (CFPWA) Miss True Blue Beauty, made this revelation on Talking Points on ZBVI 780 AM on April 21, 2025. 

Miss Sharpe is attached to the Family and Juvenile Unit and focuses on abuse cases. 

“We deal with a lot of cases of child abuse, sexual, physical, neglect, in the unit,” she said. 

Co-host Violet Thomas-Gaul could not believe her ears and interjected, “Really? In this little place?”

“Yes, in our little nook,” Miss Sharpe replied, “It’s quite prevalent here, especially in terms of physical abuse.”

Thinner line between discipline and abuse now- Miss Sharpe

Constable Sharpe explained that in terms of abuse, the methods of discipline used in days gone by are not tolerated anymore. 

“We’re in a different era and things have changed so there’s a thinner line between discipline and abuse, and sometimes parents do cross that line, so it’s something that we deal with on a daily basis.”

She added that she has reached a point where she can strike a balance between enforcing the law and providing education. 

“If there’s a case where something happened at home, I have an opportunity to also educate you so that next time you don’t go pass a certain line and get yourself into problems.”

Other types of abuse are also an issue

Constable Sharpe continued that in terms of child sexual abuse, statutory rape is common as children ignore the age of consent and therefore get into trouble with the law. 

“Even though it’s child to child, we still consider it a form of abuse because these girls, they can’t consent,” she explained. 

Meanwhile, emotional abuse, Miss Sharpe said, comes with many layers as it ties in well with domestic violence. 

“A lot of parents are still healing from a lot of trauma, and that spills over onto the children, and we have the emotional abuse and neglect.”

Responding to a question from Co-host Thomas-Gaul, Constable Sharpe said parents do sometimes take out their frustrations on the children. 

“I’d say there are layers to everything because it ties in with domestic violence, it ties in with mental health awareness.”

It’s a cycle that keeps repeating itself- Constable Sharpe

Miss Sharpe said the issues affecting the people are often not addressed. 

“We’re neglecting all of these things, and then we’re not working together, and then here we have a list of issues, and it’s just a cycle that keeps on repeating itself,” she stated. 

While she could not give a definite figure, Constable Sharpe told the co-hosts that for the year 2024, she and her colleagues at the Family and Juvenile Unit responded to under 100 cases.

She explained that once a report of suspected child abuse is received, the unit has to engage and decipher whether or not the claim is legitimate. 

From there, what intervention or resources can be used for the families to help them become are decided upon.