The war against sexual assault among children may soon be lost unless the society takes a bigger role in exposing it, a Children Officer has warned.
Speaking during a burial service on Monday at Riakemoni area in Nyamira south Sub county, Tabitha Ongaga cited reluctance by members of the public in reporting cases of children being abused as a hindrance in eradicating the vice in the area.
Terming the indifference a conspiracy of silence, the officer said the practice was not only denying justice to the victims but also promoting the vice when the offenders are left to walk free.
She further explained that majority of parents whose children have been abused by close relatives chose to settle the matter out of court to avoid societal embarrassment.
“Majority of cases involving children who have been sexually abused by their fathers or relatives are rarely reported. As a result, such children are often left to suffer both emotional and physical torment while their perpetrators continue to walk free,” pointed out the officer.
She is now calling for members of the society to join hands with the relevant government agencies in exposing those found engaging in the vice to help safeguard the welfare of children.