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Get tough on incest offenders: Spouse
By PETER MIVA
THE husband of an incest victim has called for tougher penalties on
incest offenders saying the current maximum penalty of seven years is
still too lenient for crimes against morality.
The husband, who requested anonymity, said this in response to a
National Court decision in Lae on Wednesday where a 51-year-old father,
found guilty of incest against his daughter, was sentenced to six years
in jail with hard labour.
He said the amended incest law of April 10, 2003, setting the maximum
penalty for perpetrators of incest at seven years was akin to punishing
an offender for “stealing lolly pop”.
He said incest victims suffer long-term psychological effects even
beyond the jail terms imposed on the offenders.
He called for tougher sentences to complement the hard work put in by
NGOs to provide professional counselling and rehabilitation for most of
the victims who courageously take some time to come out openly about
these crimes.
He said crimes of incest were mostly hidden by families out of fear of
losing their shelter and comfort, mostly provided by fathers and thus
harsher sentences should be imposed to encourage other victims suffering
silently to come out and bring their fathers, uncles, cousins and
relatives to justice.
He said lower jail terms would only discourage other victims who seek
higher jail sentences on perpetrators of incest from reporting such
crimes to police.
He said offenders come out of their physical bondage, which was the
jail, but most of the victims suffer in silence in their mental bondage
for life.
He said the current maximum seven years penalty was not an effective
deterrent for others who commit incest.
He said legislative changes must be done immediately on incest and other
sexual offences in the country if stakeholders were serious about
effectively addressing issues affecting women and children.
 
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