5 Child Rapes Reported in 2011 In K Thom

A 14-year-old girl was raped in Kompong Thom province on Sunday, police said yesterday, marking the fifth sexual assault on a child in the province this year.

The victim was raped in Kom­pong Svay district at about 9:30 am Sunday as she drove cattle to a field some 800 meters from her home in Trapaing Russei commune’s Svachorm village, commune police chief Chheng Kry said.

Mr Kry said the victim had been unable to identify her attacker, as he used a shirt to mask his face.

“The suspect threatened to strangle her if she shouted. She was scared of the suspect and allowed him to rape, and then he es­caped,” he said.

The girl is undergoing treatment for her wounds in Kompong Thom Provincial Hospital, he added. “She had blood coming out of her body; it is serious.”

This latest attack follows the brutal rape of an 8-year-old from Santuk district on Thursday that left her hospitalized with wounds to her face and genitals. Four new reported child-rape cases in the province came to light yesterday.

Deputy Kompong Svay district police chief Ke Kanchana said that another 14-year-old girl was raped in Prey Kuy commune on Jan 2.

The girl identified the suspect as a man who had spent the evening drinking with her father. Mr Kanchana said that the girl’s father asked his friend to go to his house to collect some food. Finding the 14-year-old alone, Mr Kanchana said, the man raped her before returning to drink with the victim’s father.

“We know the suspect’s identity, but the suspect escaped,” he said. “Now, we are looking for the suspect.”

Baray district police chief Mey Chem said yesterday that a 4-year-old was raped by her grandfather on Saturday in Baray commune. Suspect Nhoek Sam Oeun, 60, was arrested the same day, he added.

“We will send him to the court on Tuesday but now is detained in police custody,” he said.

Deputy district police chief Srey Chansina said the 4-year-old victim had been outside collecting fruit when the suspect, who he said had polio, allegedly called her upstairs and gave her 100 riel before assaulting her.

Mr Chansina added that police were also investigating the Jan 1 rape of another child in Baray district, though he did not have any details on the case.

“There are two rape cases in my district [this year]. One on Jan 1 and another happened on Saturday,” he said.

Kun Sitha, provincial coordinator for Adhoc, confirmed that her organization had recorded two child-rapes in Baray district this month, including the 4-year-old in Baray district and a 16-year-old. Ms Sitha was also able to confirm reports of the two child-rapes in Kompong Svay district and that of the 8-year-old in Santuk district.

Thun Saray, president of rights group Adhoc, said yesterday that his organization had received reports of 31 rapes in total in Kompong Thom in 2010.

Long Sokun, deputy provincial police chief, said rape cases in the province were caused by sexually arousing advertisements and alcohol abuse.

“I think that the humans who commit this case are worse than animals and it is a criminal case,” he said. “Now, police are searching for the suspects.”

Provincial governor Chhun Chhorn said the crimes were too “cruel” to be taken lightly.

“I request the court to please punish on the suspect in accordance with [the crimes] they committed.”

      (Additional Reporting by Lucy Jordan)

 

 

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