MPs today voted unanimously to send a bill calling for harsher punishments for child sex offenders to committee for further review.
The legislation proposed by Kulhudhufushi South MP Mohamed Nasheed would suspend the right to silence, extend detention periods during investigation and relax admissibility and standards of evidence.
Further, it would introduce longer jail terms, ranging between 14 to 25 years, without the possibility of bail, parole or early release, and parents or legal guardians will get harsher penalties.
Presenting the bill, Nasheed said a common complaint about enforcing laws was lack of funds, facilities and expertise."I have drawn up a timetable to fully implement everything in the bill within three years," he said.
He said he will submit his “action plan” to the committee to place obligations on the government to implement the law.Nasheed further proposed the bill should be named after Mohamed Nafiu, an eight-month-old baby boy who died last month after being beaten and sexually abused by his mother and her boyfriend.
Read the Full Report from Minivan News here
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Runaway girls arrive in Male'
A pair of Maldivian stepsisters, aged 11 and 13, who ran away from home in India to flee their abusive father, arrived in Male’ last night, according to the girls’ relatives. The girls lived with the 11-year-old’s father and the 13-year-old’s mother in Trivandrum; they ran away after being severely beaten by the father last week, and were directed to the Maldivian consulate.
“An 11-year-old wouldn’t run away without something terrible having happened to her,” the girl’s aunt told Minivan News today. The aunt said that the man was physically abusing his daughter, and sexually abusing his stepdaughter. She said the girls ran away with Rf3,000 (US$234) and their passports.
The mother of the 11-year old, who lives in Male’, received a telephone call on Wednesday morning from a friend saying that the girls had run away. She later got a call from the consulate who said they were talking to the gender ministry and foreign ministry to arrange to send the girls back. “I felt a shock,” said the aunt. “I didn’t know what to do.”
She said she thought of contacting community organization, NOOR, because she had heard about them recently. NOOR was a leading group in organising a rally protesting child abuse two weeks ago. NOOR member Fathimath Thanzeela (Thanzy) alerted the ministry of health and family. Thanzy told Minivan News the aunt and mother reported the case to the police in Male’ and India. Before the 11-year-old was sent to Male’, she said, it was necessary to prove that she should no longer be in the custody of the father.
The aunt spent Sunday at the ministry, arranging for the girls’ return. “While I was there I saw all the work they were doing,’’ she said. “They were sending letters, talking to the MPs about the custody situation. They were doing everything they could.” she said.
Despite the aunt’s reassurance, Thanzy expressed concern the ministry knew about the girls since Wednesday, but did not consult a lawyer until Sunday.
Minivan News report in full
“An 11-year-old wouldn’t run away without something terrible having happened to her,” the girl’s aunt told Minivan News today. The aunt said that the man was physically abusing his daughter, and sexually abusing his stepdaughter. She said the girls ran away with Rf3,000 (US$234) and their passports.
The mother of the 11-year old, who lives in Male’, received a telephone call on Wednesday morning from a friend saying that the girls had run away. She later got a call from the consulate who said they were talking to the gender ministry and foreign ministry to arrange to send the girls back. “I felt a shock,” said the aunt. “I didn’t know what to do.”
She said she thought of contacting community organization, NOOR, because she had heard about them recently. NOOR was a leading group in organising a rally protesting child abuse two weeks ago. NOOR member Fathimath Thanzeela (Thanzy) alerted the ministry of health and family. Thanzy told Minivan News the aunt and mother reported the case to the police in Male’ and India. Before the 11-year-old was sent to Male’, she said, it was necessary to prove that she should no longer be in the custody of the father.
The aunt spent Sunday at the ministry, arranging for the girls’ return. “While I was there I saw all the work they were doing,’’ she said. “They were sending letters, talking to the MPs about the custody situation. They were doing everything they could.” she said.
Despite the aunt’s reassurance, Thanzy expressed concern the ministry knew about the girls since Wednesday, but did not consult a lawyer until Sunday.
Minivan News report in full
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Mother arrested for sexually abusing son
An eight-year-old boy who was sexually abused by his mother is being denied care by other islanders on Lhaviyani atoll Hinnavaru, because they are concerned he is too sexually experienced, an official reported.
The boy's 40-year-old mother was arrested on Sunday, said Councillor Adam Yusuf, and neighbours believe the boy was sexually molested for over a year. “It seems that the mother was having an affair with his son,” said Adam.
Health Minister Dr Aminath Jameel raised concern over the case, saying “I wondered if the mother had a heart”.
The story first surfaced on Saturday evening, according to Adam, when the boy confided in a neighbour about the abuse. He said the case was reported to Hinnavaru police station and Lhaviyani atoll Naifaru Family and Children Service Centre on Sunday.
The boy lived with his mother and his one-month-old brother; both boys were born out of wedlock. “She lives isolated from the islanders,” said Adam of the boys' mother. “She makes a living out of donations from islanders. Islanders are happy for arresting that cruel lady."
Adam said the baby was in the care of his aunt, but no one was willing to accept the eight-year-old boy because “he might teach sex to other children”.
Minivan News full report here
The boy's 40-year-old mother was arrested on Sunday, said Councillor Adam Yusuf, and neighbours believe the boy was sexually molested for over a year. “It seems that the mother was having an affair with his son,” said Adam.
Health Minister Dr Aminath Jameel raised concern over the case, saying “I wondered if the mother had a heart”.
The story first surfaced on Saturday evening, according to Adam, when the boy confided in a neighbour about the abuse. He said the case was reported to Hinnavaru police station and Lhaviyani atoll Naifaru Family and Children Service Centre on Sunday.
The boy lived with his mother and his one-month-old brother; both boys were born out of wedlock. “She lives isolated from the islanders,” said Adam of the boys' mother. “She makes a living out of donations from islanders. Islanders are happy for arresting that cruel lady."
Adam said the baby was in the care of his aunt, but no one was willing to accept the eight-year-old boy because “he might teach sex to other children”.
Minivan News full report here
30 year old man abuse 8 year old girl - Thoddoo
A 30 year old man living in Thoddoo of Alifu Alifu atoll is reported to have broken into a room and sexually abused an 8 year old girl sleeping in the room. The police are investigating the matter and the man is under police arrest.
While he was abusing the child, she woke up and he dashed out of the room. The mother who was also sleeping in the same room woke up to the sound, and is said to have reported the matter to the Police. The incident occured at around 12.30pm after midnight on Saturday.
Miadhu report
While he was abusing the child, she woke up and he dashed out of the room. The mother who was also sleeping in the same room woke up to the sound, and is said to have reported the matter to the Police. The incident occured at around 12.30pm after midnight on Saturday.
Miadhu report
18 year-old woman gang raped
An 18-year-old woman was raped by three men, aged between 24 to 28, on a beach on Gaafu Dhaalu atoll Vaadhoo on Friday, according to police.
The victim went missing at 3pm and at nightfall, when her family went to look for her, they found her on a beach, according to her mother. Speaking to Minivan News, the woman said she was called by her boyfriend who asked her to meet him, but when she arrived, he, along with two other men, raped her.
She added she had never met her boyfriend before and they had only spoken over the phone. A friend of the family, Mohamed Hussein, said she was raped once at 4pm and then again at 6pm before she was found by her family at 9.30pm.
At 10pm, the girl’s father went to the island office where they called the police and the three men were arrested, said Island Chief Mohamed Ibrahim.
Full report here
The victim went missing at 3pm and at nightfall, when her family went to look for her, they found her on a beach, according to her mother. Speaking to Minivan News, the woman said she was called by her boyfriend who asked her to meet him, but when she arrived, he, along with two other men, raped her.
She added she had never met her boyfriend before and they had only spoken over the phone. A friend of the family, Mohamed Hussein, said she was raped once at 4pm and then again at 6pm before she was found by her family at 9.30pm.
At 10pm, the girl’s father went to the island office where they called the police and the three men were arrested, said Island Chief Mohamed Ibrahim.
Full report here
Monday, June 29, 2009
Runaway Child sent back to the Father
We have learnt that a teenage girl who accused her father of having abused her has been handed back to her father, after she ran away from home and was taken under the care of the Maldivian Consulate in Trivandrum. The details of the case are not clear.
The mother of the girl informed that when the authorities were contacted she was told she needed to buy the tickets, and they would arrange for her safe return to Male'. However, according to the mother, she was informed today after she went with the ticket that the girl has agreed to go back to her father and that they cannot help the mother to bring her back to Male'.
Officials within the government who were contacted by Child Rights activists were told that there is nothing that they can do as the father is the legal guardian. And that the child has agreed to go back to the father. Ofcourse, we can imagine how that would be. They also say that the case cannot be even recognized unless it is reported to the Police. The mother is yet hesitant to go the Police as there is little likelihood that anything will come out of it.
Child Rights activists group NOOR is looking for a lawyer who can advice or help the mother of the child in this case. Those interested may contact NOOR or leave a comment to this post.
We will report as the details are verified and confirmed.
The mother of the girl informed that when the authorities were contacted she was told she needed to buy the tickets, and they would arrange for her safe return to Male'. However, according to the mother, she was informed today after she went with the ticket that the girl has agreed to go back to her father and that they cannot help the mother to bring her back to Male'.
Officials within the government who were contacted by Child Rights activists were told that there is nothing that they can do as the father is the legal guardian. And that the child has agreed to go back to the father. Ofcourse, we can imagine how that would be. They also say that the case cannot be even recognized unless it is reported to the Police. The mother is yet hesitant to go the Police as there is little likelihood that anything will come out of it.
Child Rights activists group NOOR is looking for a lawyer who can advice or help the mother of the child in this case. Those interested may contact NOOR or leave a comment to this post.
We will report as the details are verified and confirmed.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Country unites to end child abuse
Minivan News report:
A march against child abuse united around 500 parents, politicians, NGOs and young people in the capital Male’ on Saturday, while a separate march was held in Haa Alifu atoll Hoarafushi the day before.
The rallies were organised independently of each other by local NGOs and civilians, galvanised to take action following cases of child abuse on each of the islands over the past few weeks.
Speaking to Minivan News, Mohamed Shihab from Child Abuse Watch Maldives, which helped organise the rally in Male’ said, “For me, the most important thing was to make this a civil rights movement and not a political issue.
“We were very specific to not involve political parties in the frontline… This is not a partisan activity. It is civil society working for children of the country.”
According to Fathimath Thanzeela (Thanzy), a member of community organisation NOOR, which also helped organise the rally, people were moved to act in Male’ following the death of an eight-month old baby boy on 12 June.
The baby died in the intensive care unit of Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) after being severely beaten by his mother and her boyfriend, and showed signs of having been sexually abused.
Read the full report here
A march against child abuse united around 500 parents, politicians, NGOs and young people in the capital Male’ on Saturday, while a separate march was held in Haa Alifu atoll Hoarafushi the day before.
The rallies were organised independently of each other by local NGOs and civilians, galvanised to take action following cases of child abuse on each of the islands over the past few weeks.
Speaking to Minivan News, Mohamed Shihab from Child Abuse Watch Maldives, which helped organise the rally in Male’ said, “For me, the most important thing was to make this a civil rights movement and not a political issue.
“We were very specific to not involve political parties in the frontline… This is not a partisan activity. It is civil society working for children of the country.”
According to Fathimath Thanzeela (Thanzy), a member of community organisation NOOR, which also helped organise the rally, people were moved to act in Male’ following the death of an eight-month old baby boy on 12 June.
The baby died in the intensive care unit of Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) after being severely beaten by his mother and her boyfriend, and showed signs of having been sexually abused.
Read the full report here
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