The police say the crimes against children, especially rapes of underage girls and killing children after abusing them have been escalated.
Sri Lanka's police chief Inspector General of Police (IGP) N.K. Ilangakoon has sent a circular to all police stations, ordering to take every possible measure to curb the daily escalating incidences of child abuse and molestations in the country.
The police say the crimes against children, especially rapes of underage girls and killing children after abusing them have been escalated.
According to information obtained by police headquarters, most of these crimes committed by the youths below 20 years or age and addicted to alcohol and drugs.
However, in the recent high-profile child rape cases in the South, two teenage victims have been gang raped by older men including some ruling party politicians.
The Police say last year around 1,000 children have been subjected to sexual crimes and on many occasions these crimes were committed by someone responsible for the child's well-being.
Also, parents, teachers, relatives and clergy are have also victimized the children and some children have even been killed.
It has been found during investigations that in some of the recent cases of child abuse, the victims have been molested by close relatives for months.
The circular calls for the local police stations to hold awareness programs in the communities to enlighten the people on the child abuses and the punishments for the offenders of such abuses.
(CP)