Punishing culprits of child abuse can help deter recurrence

I am concerned about the increasing number of cases of child abuse. The most painful cases are the four reported in the media on February 13. Two of these were defilement cases. One of a man who defiled his 10-year-old daughter in Kireka and another, who defiled a six-year-old girl on her way from watching TV at the neighbour’s house.

Other disheartening cases include that of child sacrifice where a father allegedly sacrificed his two-year-old boy and a step mother in Lyantonde who beat her step child to death for losing Shs3, 000.
The occurrence of such cases shows that our children are not well protected. Children are the most precious possession in society and everyone in the community is obligated to protect them.

Sadly, perpetrators of these acts are usually close relatives who are supposed to protect them. It is now very difficult to trust anyone with your child’s welfare since some children have been abused by their own fathers! Is it because our morals are degenerating or have the perpetrators not received due punishment to scare other people from committing the same crime?

In the past, if a child was defiled, the culprit would be heavily punished as a lesson to others. Unfortunately, today, most culprits go unpunished- given the delays in the justice system. It is important that the system be well financed and equipped with enough personnel to handle cases in time such that perpetrators are punished.

Ruth Birungi,
biru222gi@yahoo.com