Survey needed on prostitution

National, Normal
Source:

The National, Thursday June 20th, 2013

 By MOUA OMOA

A SURVEY is required to verify reports of teenage girls and school girls going into prostitution, according to the Family and Sexual Violence Action Committee (FSVAC).

Programmes coordinator Isi Oru said yesterday the survey would verify claims in the media and recommend measures to deal with the issue.

“The problem is real and is evident right across the country.

“A survey will be beneficial to come up with laws to prosecute the perpetrators and know the plight of the females,” he said.  

Oru said the FSVAC had reports which were based on assumptions but no accurate data to verify claims of teenage girls and school girls going into prostitution.

“There is a need for a national survey on this issue and this should be headed by relevant government agencies with funding support from the government,” he said.

“We see many young girls in clubs drinking and smoking and being with older male partners of which some are married men.

“It is a big concern that should become the business for everyone to address.

“A survey is important to have an actual data of how many teenage girls are out there and also determine why these teenage girls are resorting to this lifestyle.”

He said there were policies and laws in place under the Lukautim Pikinini Act and the Family sexual Violence, however, there should be more specific laws passed relating to this issue so that perpetrators were punished accordingly.

Oru added that advocacy and awareness on gender-based violence should be targeting young people also and to educate them on this issue, as well as human rights.

“There are child abuse laws to prosecute adults who have sexual relations or buy sex from minors, however, we need to fully implement them.”

Oru said FSVAC and its partners will be hosting a Media and gender-based violence seminar next week to address various sexual violence and abuse issues and how to report on them.