Features | Sundayobserver.lk

The alarming number of incidents of rape in Sri Lanka was highlighted at the International Women’s Day celebrations at Temple Trees under the auspices of President Mahinda Rajapaksa recently. At least three children are raped daily and many are sexually abused according to police reports. Around 89 percent of those who are raped are under-aged girls. The Child Development and Women’s Affairs Ministry, launched the ‘Stop Rape Now’ campaign to mark the International Women’s Day 2012. The Sunday Observer interviewed Child Development and Women’s Affairs Ministry Secretary Sumithra Rahubadda on the ‘Stop Rape Now’ campaign.

Saranga Dissasekara

Goodwill ambassadors

Film and Teledrama artiste and Program Presenter Saranga Lalinda Dissasekera – a computer graduate from Northumbriya University, U.K. is a popular actor and a television program presenter. ”I will assist the Child Development and Women’s Affairs Ministry to implement the campaign. The traditional image of women needs to be held in high esteem, Dissasekera
said. He said that he will extend his fullest support for the success of the program.

Female goodwill ambassador of the ‘Stop Rape Now’ campaign Umali Thilakratna is talented dancer and teledrama artiste. She is studying for her BA degree in Cinematography
at Nihon University, Tokyo. ”I am aware of the deplorable situation
faced by women”. Women cannot walk on the road during daytime without being harassed. The ‘Stop Rape Now’ campaign is timely. I will do my best to ensure the success of this project, Umali said.

Umali Thilakaratna

Q: What are the objectives of the ‘Stop Rape Now’ campaign launched by your Ministry?

A: Our Ministry has focussed attention on the alarming number of incidents of rape in the country. Around 365 rape cases were reported in 1990. the number of incidents increased to 1,636 in 2011.

A: Some social scientists and academics have identified possible causes for child rape. Most of the rape and sexual abuse cases are reported from Kurunegala, Ratnapura and Anuradhapura districts.

Most of the expatriate female workers including family breadwinners hail from these districts. When the mothers have gone in search of green pastures, their children are left to their own destinies. In the absence of the mothers the father has become an addict to social vices such as drinking, gambling or adultory.

Such families belong to the poverty-ridden slots of the society. There are many instances where a family member, farther or an uncle had been identified as the rapist.Attorney General, Eva Wanasundara in her keynote address at this year’s International Women’s Day celebrations said that the suspects in most of the rape cases are either the mother’s second husband, a neighbour, a shop owner, a tuition teacher or a member of the clergy or the boy friend.

A: ‘Stop Rape Now’ is not only an awareness program. It will be implemented islandwide under the patronage of child Development and Women’s Affairs Minister, Tissa Karalliyadde.The ‘Stop Rape Now’ message will be delivered to all sections of the society through the network of Women Development Officers – (WDO) in Divisional Secretariat, Women Societies, Clergy, Social organizations and NGOs. (In the past women were held in higher esteem.

They could walk alone during any time of the day without being apprehensive of physical violence or harassment. Today she is not safe even at home.

Old-aged men rape their daughters. Most of the incidents are well planned. This attitude towards women must be changed. That’s why the ‘Stop Rape Now’ campaign was launched recently under the patronage of First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa with goodwill ambassador actress Umali Thilakarathna and actor Presenter Saranga Dissasekera to create an attitudinal change towards women.

A: The electronic and the print media have a vital role to play in this regard. The media should allocate more time and space for women’s affairs. So that the image of women could be promoted. It is necessary that the media should exercise utmost care in publishing news or features pertaining to rape or sexual harassment since such sensational reporting will damage moral values especially of the youth.

This needs a careful study and remedy by media institutions in the interest of children and women.

Q: Actress Umali Thilakarathna and Saranga Dissasekera have been appointed goodwill ambassadors of the ‘Stop Rape Now’ campaign. What are the other programs that will be launched with their participation.

A: Umali and Saranga are talented and widely accepted two young representatives of the contemporary youth. They have a voice in society specially among the youth. Youth leaders could help change the attitudes of youth. Umali and Saranga could display their inborn talents in the campaign against rapes and harassment of women.

A: Yes – an emergency telephone number to contact the police or others will be installed soon, so that the suspects could be arrested easily. People need flexible and easy systems to inform crimes immediately to arrest the culprits. The police and other responsible bodies should act promptly to arrest the culprits.

Q: Legal proceedings specially in rape and sexual harassment cases take a long time to conclude. Is it not the time to adopt measures to improve this situation and provide relief to litigants.

A: Law makers have stressed the importance of dispensing justice expeditiously, specially in rape and sexual harassment cases. Our Ministry too has drawn the attention of the Justice Ministry and several other agencies on the early disposal of Court cases. Amendments to the existing laws on women and child crimes is essential as it cannot keep pace with the alarming rate of crimes.

Campaign to check sexual harassment