Incident Reports

Sexual abuse against children on rise

2015-01-08

Bhairahawa/Jan 8, Balbalika mathi hune yown durbyabahar baddo. Incidents of sexual abuse against children are on the rise in Rupandehi district, data provided by the Rupandehi District Police Office (DPO) shows. According to the DPO, as many as 14 girls were sexually abused in the last five months of the ongoing fiscal year alone. Out of the 26 cases of sexual violence against women and children registered, 14 were children. And of the 14 cases, 10 girl children were under 10. In the last five months, 15 cases of rape were reported, 11 of attempted rape and one of gang rape. “Girl children are increasingly becoming victims of sexual abuses lately as they are easily swayed,” said Himala Baidawar, in-charge of women’s cell at the DPO. The police said that most of the girls were sexually abused by their family members, relatives and neighbors. In a case in Butuwal, a 10-year-old girl was raped by her 18-year-old brother. Similarly, a four-year-old girl child was raped by her uncle last month in Sainamaina municipality. Sexual violence against children may cause severe harm to their physical and mental health, according to doctors. Baidawar said girl children were sexually abused in lack of proper care and attention from their parents. She said that the cases of sexual abuse against children may be higher than reported as many children do not know that they were sexually abused or they fear to report these incidents to their parents. Locals say the local bodies should launch community-level awareness campaigns to stop all kinds of sexual violence against women and girl children. REKH

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