Madang sex crimes ‘quite alarming’

 THE rate of family and sexual violence in Madang especially among the age group of 12-18 is quite alarming, said chairman of family and sexual violence action committee Peter Baki.

Baki said that last year alone, the Madang provincial council of women through which a family and sexual violence section has been established, provided counselling to more than 50 survivors of family and sexual violence.

“There is high incidence of incest, sexual penetration of minors especially those attending primary schools and affiliation cases in which women were delivering babies outside of marriage and now needed maintenance assistance,” said Baki.

He attributed the increased rate of violence to the influx of people into Madang in the past 12 months because of new developments and business boom in the province.

“Our major concern is the welfare of our children. What is now very common is that fathers are sexually abusing their step daughters, we have still a case pending of such nature to be dealt with by law.

“Another sensitive issue we have is of primary school teachers sexually penetrating minors in school. We have three cases involving grade seven female students and teachers from two town schools, we are working closely with the police on those,” said Baki.

He added that there were many cases of sexual penetration of minors however these were not being reported in the province and urged that families must report such incidences because these were criminal offences and must not be tolerated.

“Parents are reluctant to take the matter further, maybe due to their culture that binds them from speaking out about it but that should not be,” Baki said.

He added that due to the high rate of affiliation cases, the family and sexual violence action committee made up of law enforcement agencies, churches and provincial authorities would, by March, be focused on disseminating and enforcing the Lukautim Pikinini Act of 2009 part of which includes a penalty fee of K100 for partners who abandon their child with no maintenance support.