Schools, homes no longer safe for children – report

The 2024 police annual crime report has revealed that thousands of children below the age of 18 years are being subjected to sexual violence in homes and schools across the country.

According to the report, 14,425 sex-related crimes were registered in 2024, making up 6.6 percent of the overall recorded crimes in this category.

Despite a reported 2.8 percent decrease in sex-related offences, the figures remain alarmingly high, sparking widespread concern among gender activists and parents who argue that a more aggressive approach is needed to curb these crimes.

Among the most concerning trends is the high prevalence of defilement cases. The report reveals that out of 14,425 sex-related cases, 12,317 victims were defiled in 2024, including 12,009 female juveniles and 308 male juveniles.

In Uganda, defilement refers to the act of engaging in sexual intercourse with a girl under the age of 18, regardless of whether she consents or not. 

The report reveals that defilement cases reported involved individuals entrusted with children’s safety. In 2024 alone, 283 victims were defiled by persons who are HIV-positive, 171 by guardians, 87 by parents, 97 were children with disabilities, 88 were defiled by teachers at the primary level, and 190 were defiled by teachers at the secondary level.

Shockingly, 1,447 of the victims indicated in the 2024 report were between the ages of zero and eight years, 2,514 were aged nine to 14 years, and 8,021 were between 15 and 17 years. The report also records 335 adult defilement victims.

A comparison with the 2023 report indicates a worrying persistence of these crimes, with 13,144 victims reported, among them 12,818 female juveniles and 326 male juveniles.

Similarly, cases of girls being defiled by parents, teachers, and guardians in 2023 were also reported to the police.

Those who were defiled by people living with HIV were 383, 90 were defiled by guardians, 97 were defiled by parents, 131 were victims of children with disability, 142 pupils were defiled by teachers, and 69 students were also defiled by teachers.

Out of the 14,425 sex-related crimes reported to the Police by the end of the year, 6,584 cases were taken to Court, 2,744 cases were not proceeded with, and 5,097 cases are still under inquiry.

Out of 6,584 cases that were taken to Court, 749 cases secured convictions, 63 cases were acquitted, 454 cases were dismissed while 5,318 cases are still pending in Court.

Ms Molly Kamakune, a gender activist from Fort Portal City, said: “The last year 2024 in February, I was at the police Fort Portal Central Police station and witnessed one unfairly mismanaged case where a 14-year-old girl was defiled by the village chairperson.

The two parties left me at the police together with the girl in the police office and the parents and the defiler went and negotiated of Shs3 million, later the girl was called out of the office and went back home and the case ended.”

Ms Charity Natunsinguza, a parent, said: "Nowadays, I don’t trust any teacher with my children, especially during holidays when they're supposed to be studying. This is how our children get defiled, and such teachers must face arrest. Upon conviction, they should be expelled from teaching because they destroy children's future dreams," she said.

She added: “We see in reports that some cases take too long to be concluded, while others are dismissed in court. I keep asking myself—do these files lack evidence, or do complainants withdraw from attending court proceedings? Sometimes, parents conspire with security officers and the accused to settle matters out of court, which is illegal in such cases.”

Ms Angom Agnes, the head of the Family and Child Protection Unit at Fort Portal Central Police Station, called for stricter court penalties against convicted teachers and parents to serve as a deterrent to perpetrators. 

She noted that in some cases, after police complete investigations and submit the file to court, parents of victims conspire with the accused to settle the matter out of court, leading to case dismissals.

“We have cases that are dismissed because there are no witnesses or victims who decline to come to court to testify, making it impossible for the judge to proceed. As police, we do our part by ensuring the case reaches court, but some parents disappoint us by failing to appear and testify,” she said.

Ms Angom also expressed concern about instances where women collude with their daughters to falsely accuse fathers of defilement for personal motives.

Ms Jenifer Kahumuza, the coordinator for Joy for Children in Rwenzori Sub-region, said to end the vice, every sector—including justice, social welfare, health, and education -- needs to play a crucial role in preventing and responding to violence against children. She said there is a need for multi-sectoral collaboration to create a protective environment for children.