By Trina A. San Agustin
Variety News Staff

A MAN was arrested after he was reported by an 11-year-old girl for sexually assaulting her. The minor reported her ordeal to school authorities after learning from Guam Police Juvenile Investigation Section officers that it is okay to tell someone if somebody touched her in a “bad way.”
School officials reported the girl’s allegations to police. JIS investigators conducted a thorough investigation that lasted for almost 24 hours which resulted in the arrest of Benjamin Imbuido Arjona, of Dededo.
Arjona, 52, was charged by GPD with criminal sexual conduct, child abuse, and family violence. He was booked and confined.
JIS Sgt. Art Paulino said because of the public school presentations that JIS has been making for the past few weeks, other criminal sexual conduct cases have been discovered.
Paulino said the media had been asking him about what his section was doing to counter criminal sexual conduct cases. He said in the last two years, JIS has been taking a proactive approach. They are going to schools to teach children how to deal with violence and bullying, and recognize a good touch and a bad touch on their “private parts.”
This program, according to Paulino, is done with Child Protective Services and Victims Advocates Reaching Out. He said the program has intensified in the last two weeks.
“For example, Tuesday’s case was as a result of a presentation we did at her school. The investigations led JIS investigators to find out (about the) man. It was done on three occasions,” he added.
There are a total of six different curriculums, but JIS links them all up to make a 20-minute presentation.
Paulino has since received positive feedback from educators on how accepting their pupils are of this subject matter.
The curriculum also teaches children the life skills that are necessary to protect themselves. It also educates them on what to do if someone touches them in a way that makes them feel uncomfortable and that it is not the child’s fault this happened to them.
Paulino said JIS welcomes any public, private, and non-profit entity to take advantage of the JIS outreach program.
“If your goal is to provide a service to Guam’s youth, to any degree, we will support you in that endeavor. We have provided our services to Island Girl Power, the Girl Scouts, and others,” Paulino said.
Paulino also recognized the five JIS investigators, including senior agent Joe Borja, senior agent Frank Corpuz, senior agent Jerimiah Dechavez, senior agent Robert Travis, and senior special agent Roque Cruz.
If your organization would like to host the JIS presentation, contact them at 475-8535.