A total of 168 female children below the age of 16 years have been sexually abused within a period of one month, State Minister of Women and Child Affairs Geetha Kumarasinghe revealed.
Addressing the media on Wednesday (Oct 25), she said the sexual abuse had been reported between 01 – 30 September 2023.
State Minister Geetha Kumarasinghe further said that 22 children among the victims are reported to be pregnant.
“Reporting sexual abuse of nearly 168 children within a month shows that our country is in an unfortunate situation. All Police Stations were requested to take stringent measures in cases of child abuse to ensure the safety of children. Principals of schools were also requested to take measures to protect children from child abuse,” she said.
The State Minister pointed out that in most of these incidents, the children have been found to be sexually abused by a close relative or someone in their own house.
State Minister Geetha Kumarasinghe emphasized the need to implement stringent laws to protect children from child abuse. (NewsWire)