A damning indictment was delivered last night on Bermuda's ability to protect her children from abuse.

Government, social workers and the Police were accused of failing youngsters -- and their parents.

The Attorney General's chambers came in for particular savaging.

It was claimed the Attorney General almost never prosecuted child abuse cases -- unless the offender pleaded guilty.

The scathing attack came from the Coalition for the Protection of Children.

About 30 people turned up at Cathedral Hall to hear the group give a withering report on abuse in Bermuda.

It was made to Government's new child abuse task force, headed by top lawyer Mr. Saul Froomkin.

Coalition co-chairperson Ms Sheelagh Cooper unveiled a battery of recommendations.

They included revising the 1943 Protection of Children Act.

Ms Cooper described the Act a "disgrace to an otherwise civilised country.'' For instance, under the Act a child molester could be fined less than $100.

Other recommendations included: Setting up a task force to examine poverty, described as an underlying cause of abuse; Giving schools resources to identify and tackle problems among children; Hiring at least two "outreach workers with specialised training in techniques of family preservation and addiction counselling'' to work with children at risk because of drug problems at home; Giving Government powers to suspend nursery schools and day care centres where children are thought to be maltreated; Toughening up regulations to combat unlicensed child care givers; The Attorney General's chambers and the Social Services Ministry forming a panel of experts on child abuse which could advise judges and magistrates; Taking immediate steps to put sex offenders on treatment programmes in prison; and The Department of Social Services creating a full-time post of Community Developer responsible for encouraging groups and individuals to help prevent abuse.

Last night several parents of abuse victims relayed horrifying tales of their ordeals.

Many of the children were abused by baby-sitters, or people in nursery schools.

Some members of the audience broke down in tears as they heard one woman's trauma.

She spoke of her anger and betrayal at the way society failed her three-year-old daughter.

She said a doctor had stated her daughter had been "partially penetrated''.

It left the traumatised youngster suffering recurring nightmares.

But nothing was done to prosecute the offender, she said.

"The criminal system did not protect my child and will not protect other innocent children.'' Other parents also fired broadsides at the "system'' for failing them.

They complained of Police being slow to respond to complaints, and displaying little compassion.

Ms Cooper said Police needed child specialists to deal with such complaints.

And she added overworked social workers needed more resources.

The criminal justice system also completely failed Bermuda -- and needed urgent attention.

Mr. Froomkin told the meeting he would take on board the complaints, and file a report to Government.