Sri Lanka

Real lives

Addressing sexual abuse in Sri Lanka

Most sexual abuse occurs within the privacy of the family. Nishani is a young Sri Lankan girl, who was 11 years old when her mother’s lover sexually abused her. The abuse was encouraged by the mother herself. This went on until the young girl became pregnant.   At an age when most girls are attending school and planning for their future, Nishani had to assume the duties of a mother.

Sexual activity is often seen as a private matter, which makes communities reluctant to act and intervene in cases of sexual exploitation. To end the tolerance for sexual abuse, UNICEF acts to improve community attitudes customs and practices towards children and their rights. Via TV, radio and newspapers in English, Sinhala and Tamil, UNICEF led a mass media campaign to promote awareness about the dangers of sexual abuse and the penalties for adults who commit it.

UNICEF was instrumental in establishing a 24-hour hotline to report cases of abuse in Sri Lanka. Children can now report incidents of sexual abuse themselves. The Women and Children’s Bureau in the Police Department received 247 calls with complaints of child abuse during three months in 2000. These calls included sexual and physical abuse, rape, incest and child labour.

To turn sexual abuse into a matter of public concern, UNICEF works with government officials, non-governmental organization and civic groups. Through partnerships, UNICEF sensitizes lawyers, police officers, probation officers, doctors and other professionals to whom children can turn to for support. To establish police desks for child abuse – especially for children without access to the hotline–UNICEF enhances the capacity of law enforcement officers to provide child and gender-sensitive recovery services for victims of abuse.

In addition, community-based organizations and religious leaders are trained to identify victims of family-based violence and provide support and care for them. Increased awareness has resulted in more cases being reported. Yet, a large number of cases remain hidden.

In Nishani’s case, both her mother and her lover were sent to jail. Today, Nishani lives with her father who earns his living as a carpenter and from other odd jobs, while Nishani is trying to master the craft of sewing to provide for her daughter, Jayanthi. Only with more awareness-raising activities to change attitudes and practices relating to children can Jayanthi’s life, and that of other children, remain free from the threat of abuse.