Belize City High Schools Tackle Environmental Threats to Water Resources

Nearly one hundred and fifty students at two Belize City schools participated in police-led sessions on recognizing, preventing and reporting sexual and domestic abuse.  The Belize Police Department’s Gender-Based Violence Response and Investigative Unit visited St. John’s Primary School on Euphrates Avenue and Edward P. Yorke High School on Princess Margaret Drive as part of its educational outreach.  At St. John’s Primary, approximately forty-five students, from Infant One to Standard Three, joined their teachers for an interactive presentation. Officers used child-friendly explanations to discuss different forms of abuse, good and bad touch, and how children can report incidents and seek help. The session also explored how abuse affects families and communities.  Later that day, officers met with approximately one hundred and three fourth-form students at Edward P. Yorke High School. That discussion focused on sexual and domestic abuse, prevention, and the importance of reporting incidents.  The sessions were facilitated by the unit’s Deputy Commander, Inspector Shani Alvarez, Corporal Audeava Ferguson, and counsellor Alda Ramos. According to the department, students and teachers participated actively, with several students sharing what they had learned and receiving small tokens of appreciation.  Police say the outreach forms part of ongoing efforts to build trust, strengthen awareness, and help children and young people understand where to turn for support.