No justice for sexual abuse victims

MANY teenage girls are becoming victims of persistent sexual abuse in Papua New Guinea today.
Sexual harassment, such as rape, is rife as published by in the media.
There are so many reports of children, especially girls, being raped, molested or gang raped.
Girls are subjected to sick men commit such abuse in homes, gardens and/or other locations.
Girls and women have been forced to have sex and are threatened not to report the abuse to their relatives.
These young victims become further aggravated when they are not provided with medical reports to be used as evidence in court cases, hence, prosecution and justice for the victims are delayed.
These conditions violate basic children’s rights such as access to basic healthcare.
If the Government has signed treaties with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, please do not turn a blind eye to this.
The Government is obliged to protect children, particularly girls, under both international and domestic laws.
Despite the seriousness of the problem, it is obvious that there is little to no willingness to investigate and prosecute the culprits.
To address the issues of abused young girls in PNG, Government agencies responsible and communities must work together to
have these perpetrators held accountable and redress given to victims.
It is frustrating to see a lack of swift intervention and effectiveness from responsible agencies to curb sexual violence.

JK NCD