Call for more research on abuse

National

By ROBINSON LEKA
A SENIOR magistrate has asked that more research be done to better understand what is causing the increase in the sexual abuse of minors.
Waigani Committal Court Magistrate Cosmas Bidar raised the issue during the case of an elderly man accused of raping an eight-year-old girl.
Swit Luta, from Eastern Highlands, charged with persistent sexual abuse of a minor and appeared before Magistrate Bidar yesterday.
The grade one student, was alleged to have been abused by Luta on April 30 and May 6 at her home at ATS, Port Moresby.
Luta, who did not specify to the court how old he was, was alleged to have forcefully abused the victim on both occasions and threatened her not to tell anyone.
The case was adjourned to June 20 for further mention.
Magistrate Bidar told Luta that he was not the only person who had come before the court charged with the offence committed against a minor.
He said it had become a prevalent matter coming before the court.
Bidar questioned if there were ways to look into how such offences started and what the contributing factors were.