The minister of state for youth and children affairs, Nyirabashitsi Sarah Mateke has revealed that the rate of child abuse in the country has grown to an alarming state.
While addressing the press in the capital Kampala, Mateke said that these cases were sparked off by closure of schools leading to children home where they were abused in the form of defilement, physical torture, and neglect among other forms of abuse.
According to the annual police crime report 2020, a total of 14,230 children were defiled in 2020 alone majority of whom were girls.
Figures showed that14,080 female and 140 male children were abused indicating that 1,280 children were in the 0-8 year old bracket, 2,980 in the 9-14 year old bracket and 9,954 children in the age bracket of 15-17 years.
According to the minister, most of the criminals are parents and close relatives.
“What is more unsettling is that 120 of these children were defiled by thier parents, another 120 by the guardians, 52 by teachers and 301 by HIV positive persons”. She said.
“It is clear that many more children are suffering in science” she added.
The Minister warned that following some set guidelines by government, failure to provide for protection and welfare to thier children, the law will prescribe charges of neglect. She also appealed to local leaders and the community at large to act but not look on as the evil acts happen just in front of thier eyes.
“Children make up 56% of our total population and if we are not protecting them, then we are not protecting our country”. She cautioned.
