East Timor Legal News - 08 August 2012 - Source: The Dili Weekly 07/08/2012
- Written by Paulina Quintao - Data from the Judicial System Monitoring Program
(JSMP) for the period of January 2010 to June 2012 revealed 49 cases of incest
involving underage girls, with nine cases already in the courts.
“The majority of the cases involve girls between the ages of 11 to 14, victims of sexual abuse by someone related to them and often someone they depend upon like a father, an uncle or older brother,” said Florinda Soriano, Women For Justice (WFJ) Coordinator, (01/08), at the launch of report on incest at the Dili Convention Centre, in Dili.
JSMP has assisted 32 cases of incest through their Victim Support Services Unit (VSSU) with nine of them already heard by the courts, with most of those cases processed by the Office of the Prosecutor (Ministerio Publiku MP).
JSMP through the WJU has monitored 18 cases during 2010 – 2012, with five of those cases ending up in court with the perpetrators handed jail terms between four and twelve years. This brings the total number of incest cases to 49 for that period.
“Crimes of incest are not specifically mentioned in Timor-Leste’s Constitution, however children under the age of 14 are protected by Article 177 on Sexual Abuse, and Article 182 on Aggravated Assault,” said the WJU Coordinator.
Article 18 in Timor-Leste’s Constitution states minors must have be protected, especially by their family, community and the State; and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which Timor-Leste ratified, state all children must be protected from any form of violence.
The Secretary of State for the promotion of Equality, Idelta Maria Rodrigues said although Timor-Leste had ratified the Convention for the Rights of the Child, it had still not addressed the issue of incest.
“We can’t just rely on the ratification, more research is needed and sometimes victims are left with nowhere to go because there are many relatives living at home, so it is not a safe place to be. This is one of the issues that must be addressed,” said SE Rodrigues.
Madalena Guterres Correia Representing the National Commission for the Rights of the Child, said the 49 cases did not reflect the exact number of cases in the community, as most families decide not to prosecute due to shame and fear of stigma should cases be dragged through the courts.
“It is our experience cases of incest are not brought to light, for those reasons, so KNDL will seek to collaborate with partners to raise community awareness, as advocacy is all we can do,” said the KNDL representative.
“The majority of the cases involve girls between the ages of 11 to 14, victims of sexual abuse by someone related to them and often someone they depend upon like a father, an uncle or older brother,” said Florinda Soriano, Women For Justice (WFJ) Coordinator, (01/08), at the launch of report on incest at the Dili Convention Centre, in Dili.
JSMP has assisted 32 cases of incest through their Victim Support Services Unit (VSSU) with nine of them already heard by the courts, with most of those cases processed by the Office of the Prosecutor (Ministerio Publiku MP).
JSMP through the WJU has monitored 18 cases during 2010 – 2012, with five of those cases ending up in court with the perpetrators handed jail terms between four and twelve years. This brings the total number of incest cases to 49 for that period.
“Crimes of incest are not specifically mentioned in Timor-Leste’s Constitution, however children under the age of 14 are protected by Article 177 on Sexual Abuse, and Article 182 on Aggravated Assault,” said the WJU Coordinator.
Article 18 in Timor-Leste’s Constitution states minors must have be protected, especially by their family, community and the State; and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which Timor-Leste ratified, state all children must be protected from any form of violence.
The Secretary of State for the promotion of Equality, Idelta Maria Rodrigues said although Timor-Leste had ratified the Convention for the Rights of the Child, it had still not addressed the issue of incest.
“We can’t just rely on the ratification, more research is needed and sometimes victims are left with nowhere to go because there are many relatives living at home, so it is not a safe place to be. This is one of the issues that must be addressed,” said SE Rodrigues.
Madalena Guterres Correia Representing the National Commission for the Rights of the Child, said the 49 cases did not reflect the exact number of cases in the community, as most families decide not to prosecute due to shame and fear of stigma should cases be dragged through the courts.
“It is our experience cases of incest are not brought to light, for those reasons, so KNDL will seek to collaborate with partners to raise community awareness, as advocacy is all we can do,” said the KNDL representative.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
_%5B1%5D.jpg)
Sem comentários:
Enviar um comentário