December 5, 2008
4:31
In Kananga children as young as four months old are being sexually abused. Reported cases of child adulteration have doubled since 2007. At least 250 cases were recorded in 2008. Local customs and traditions are both contributors to this defilement. The article stated that “Many people consult charlatans who tell them to have sexual relations with young virgin girls to solve their problems.”
Another cause is that rich men in this country defile young virgins to maintain their status in the society. Afterward they pay large amounts of money to the family. Money is given to keep the family “quite” about the act that took place. In some situations the money is used t pay for the young girl’s dowry, as part of their custom. Some families see it as a honor to be married off to a rich man, even if he is more than twice her age.
Although there are laws prohibiting early and forced marriages, not many of the cases are taken to court. This is partly because of the money paid to the families. It’s usually the poor perpetrators, who do not have money to bribe the families and prosecutors, who are sentenced.
This article was a bit confusing to me. It was really short and scattered, so I had to do a lot of piecing together. I don’t quite understand if the rich men are sexually abusing the children for status, just to do it, fix their “problems”, as part of their marriage or combination of each. I will defiantly have to look further into this. It’s very tragic and I would like to have a better understanding of it.
2 comments:
It is always difficult to hear about children being abused especially sexual abuse cases.
This is horrible! I cannot believe that it is happening to children as young as 4 months old. I just don't understand how people can go through with such acts...and i cant imagine how it is for the children.
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