Govt called to toughen law on child rape

National

Local businesswomen and leader Vani Nadi has called on the Government to toughen laws for child rape.
Nadi supported a call made by Northern Governor Gary Juffa and Institute of National Affairs executive director and advocate Paul Barker to get hard on child sex offenders.
A seven-year-old girl was allegedly raped and murdered in New Ireland and a three-year-old-girl raped and murdered in Eastern Highlands. Port Moresby and Lae courts experienced an upsurge in the number of child sex  offences earlier this year, prompting at least three magistrates or judges to express concern and disgust.
One of them noted that a relative of the victim was often involved.
Nadi said that it was time everyone stood up together and said enough was enough.
“We can’t just read about it in the newspapers or watch it on the TV and say ‘Oh! Sorry’ and just leave it at that. As a mother I can share that pain as those little girls could have been my daughter, or sister, so let’s all work together and fight for the laws to be toughened,” Nadi said.
She said that it was time men should stand by women and fight for tougher laws to be placed for child sex offenders and not only women.
“Even though all the Parliamentarians are all male, I call on them to relate to the little angels as their daughters, or sisters and start implementing tougher laws.”
“Even if they are in the Government or the Opposition it is their duty as leaders of the people to start toughening up the laws to protect their people,” she said.