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Sexual abuse of children: CCTV cameras at all orphanages

15 Jan 2021

By Hiranyada Dewasiri and Ruwan Laknath Jayakody   A CCTV camera is to be placed in the lobby of each of the approximately 350 child development centres islandwide, following recent revelations of sexual abuse at these centres, The Morning learnt. The cameras will be set up by the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA), which is the monitoring authority of these centres, with approval from the Ministry of Justice and technical assistance from the United Nations Development Project (UNDP). According to NCPA Chairman Prof. Muditha Vidanapathirana, who spoke to The Morning in this regard yesterday (14), the NCPA would also commence the regular monitoring of these centres on a weekly or even daily basis. “At present, the monitoring process is done over the phone, where the NCPA head office calls children who are inmates in these centres to discuss related problems. Now, we will look to have video calls.” The UNDP will be providing the necessary facilities in this regard too. This move comes in the wake of recent incidents that have occurred within child development centres, including the sexual abuse of inmates. In certain cases, such abuse was inflicted with the active and complicit participation of certain officers attached to these centres. The probation of these centres, along with the provision of child care services to them, comes under the purview of the Department of Probation and Child Care Services. Most recently, at the Avanthi Devi Children’s Home in Anuradhapura, incidents including the sexual abuse of children and other irregularities such as hosting booze-fuelled parties involving outsiders have come to light following electronic media exposés. Subsequent to the matter being revealed, in addition to the Police Children and Women’s Bureau investigation, the NCPA’s Special Police Unit had also commenced investigations and identified a host of issues. In this regard, Police Media Spokesman Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Ajith Rohana was quoted in the media as stating yesterday that the Chief Warden of the said home had been arrested over reports of such abuses, and that the Police had thus far recorded statements from 52 girls housed at the home. In addition to the Chief Warden’s arrest, on the charge of cruelty, the Police have also arrested a teacher at the Home for sexual abuse. Additionally, The Morning confidentially and reliably learnt that the law enforcement authorities including the NCPA have identified a total of three suspects – additional officers attached to the Avanthi Devi Children’s Home – as being involved in such, and that they are planning to arrest them in connection with several charges, including sexual assault, soon. Meanwhile, Prof. Vidanapathirana told us that the definitions given for the levels utilised in grading child development centres would have to be rethought in light of the recent incidents, as they do not reflect the actual situation on the ground. He also explained the grading system that is presently in place. “Firstly, there is a series of objective questions posed, to which marks are given out of a total of 100. Scores received above 70 are considered good, marked with the colour green and given three stars, while scores between 40 and 70 are categorised as moderate with the colour yellow and given two stars, and scores below 40 are deemed poor, denoted by the colour red and given one star. “The questions include, among others, those concerning floor clearance (length and width), the bed (length and width), whether the mattress is attached to the bed and the area around each bed (whether it is one foot), the distance from the floor area to the window (length and width), doors (whether they can be closed, as in certain cases, some can’t be closed), and also on the problems in the windows and kitchen. Marks are reduced where it doesn’t meet the expected standards.” He went on to say that there are a number of books such as logbooks in which entries that constitute mandatory recording need to be made, including about persons (including officials) who entered the place, and these have to be maintained by the officials. “There are a large number of such entities. These places come under the Department of Probation and Child Care Services, and they are obligated to visit at least once a month to regulate. They must visit frequently and often. This is a question of due diligence on the part of the relevant officials. “We monitor this. In the case of the aforementioned books found at Avanthi Devi, they had not been maintained, and when we went through them, we found no log entries maintained by the officials.” When contacted in relation to this issue, State Minister of Women and Child Development, Preschools and Primary Education, School Infrastructure, and Education Services Piyal Nishantha De Silva told The Morning that he will be personally making random visits to child development centres islandwide to monitor their situation, in addition to the monitoring that will be conducted by State Ministry officials. “I have instructed my officials to monitor these centres, and I have already started to make sudden, unannounced visits to these centres to monitor them,” he said, adding that these visits have made the centres take the necessary steps to ensure they are maintained in a good state. When asked what action would be taken against officials who neglect their responsibilities, he said that they would face disciplinary action. “Steps will be taken to transfer such officials upon identification, and they will be dismissed from their positions if cases against them are proven.” As long-term solutions to the problems faced by children in child development centres, State Minister De Silva said that steps that need to be taken include infrastructure and facility development as well as educating officials. He also noted that legal action taken against the abuse of children takes too long, where the victims have already reached adulthood when their cases are concluded, which in turn leaves the children affected by their experience for a prolonged time. “Legal processes need to be expedited,” he added. Despite several attempts made by The Morning, Department of Probation and Child Care Services Commissioner Chandima Sigera could not be reached for a comment.


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