More male children being abused | Page 2 | Daily News

More male children being abused

More male children are abused than female children. Therefore, parents and guardians should be vigilant of both male and female children, Prof. Ashvini D. Fernando attached to the Ragama Medical Faculty said.

In 2015, a total of 20 children were killed by violence against children, she said.

She was addressing a press briefing held at the Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA) in Colombo yesterday.

She said in 2014, a total of 29 children were killed due to violence while 34 children were killed for the same reason in 2013. A total of 35 children were murdered in 2012.

According to Prof. Fernando, the number of grave crimes committed against children in 2015 was 3,446 and in 2014, a total of 3,440 such incidents were reported.

In 2013, a total of 3,639 grave crimes against children were reported while 3,777 such incidents were reported in 2012. A total of 5,889 crimes against children were reported in 2015 while 5,598 such incidents were reported in 2014. In 2013, a total of 5,696 crimes were reported against children. The number of crimes reported against children in 2012 was 5,897.

Prof. Fernando said after being abused, male victims tend to abuse their younger siblings. Such incidents have been reported to hospitals.

About 72 percent of all types of abuses are sexual abuses. Children from dysfunctional families, motherless families, separated families and divorced families etc are vulnerable to abuse. A total of 49 percent of child abuse take place at homes.

Prof. Harendra de Silva said he had to face various problems while he was the Chairman of the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) when the NCPA took steps to imprison some politicians for abusing children. The LTTE recruited child soldiers which is an abuse, he said.

SLMC President Prof. Anula Wijesundara, Health Promotion Bureau Director Dr. Paba Palihawadana and others also spoke.


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