Gulu registers 14,000 cases of violence against children in four years

Gulu, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | More than 14,000 cases of violence against children were registered in Gulu district between the years 2017 and 2020.

In 2017, the district recorded 2,795 cases, 2,786 in 2018, 2,798 reported in 2019 and the year 2020 registered the most cases with 5,659 cases.

The reported cases include defilement, physical violence, rape, child neglect, teenage pregnancy, child marriages, denial of resource and properties, and coming into conflicts with the law.

According to records from Jessica Anena, the Gulu district senior probation and welfare officer, girls are still the most victims of violence against children due to their vulnerability to the perpetrators.

She explains that the main contributors of violence against children include domestic violence, poverty, ignorance, illiteracy, family separation and alcoholism among others.

Anena says that the district is incapacitated to effectively investigate, arrest and arraign the culprits before the court due to inadequate funding to the district gender department.

The State Minister for Youth and Children Affairs Florence Nakiwala Kiyingi called for combined efforts to avert violence against children which among them include community sensitization and also ensure that perpetrators are brought to book.

She appealed to everyone to ensure that there is child protection at all levels to prevent child-related offences in the country.

She further disclosed that the government loses a lot of money in investigating, treatment and court whenever there are cases of violence against children.

Stephen Odong Latek, the Gulu Resident District Commissioner said that the district is partnering with development partners to completely wipe out the vice.

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