Couple Accused of Raping 10-Year-Old Cousin

A husband and wife from Siem Reap’s Chikreng district were arrested Sunday on suspicion that the man raped his 10-year-old cousin with the help of his spouse, provincial police officials said Tuesday.

The couple were arrested after the victim’s parents, who live in the same village, reported them to police, said Chea Heng of the Siem Reap provincial police’s anti-human trafficking and juvenile protection office.

Chikreng District Police Chief Sok Pheavuth also confirmed  Tuesday that the couple were arrested. They are being held in provincial prison awaiting trial, police said.

The female suspect, 26, told police that her husband, 34,  threatened to kill her if she did not help lure his young cousin to their home, Chea Heng said.

The woman said the girl’s parents let the girl stay with her in Au village, Khvav commune, saying that her husband would be working away from home for several days and that “she dared not sleep alone at night,” Chea Heng said.

In fact the man was home when the girl arrived Friday.

Around 9 pm on Saturday night, the woman caught the girl and covered her mouth with her hand while her husband raped the child, Chea Heng said.

The woman confessed to police Tuesday that she was afraid her husband would beat her if she did not comply with his demands, Chea Heng said. He said the man  also confessed.

The victim was sent to the Cambodian Women’s Crisis Center in Siem Reap town, the organization’s administrative chief Chum Soputhy said Tuesday.

The center, which shelters victims of rape and domestic violence, is caring for 21 underage girls, nine of whom were raped by family members, she said.

 

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