Africa-Press – Mozambique. Around 250 minors suffered violence or were subject to sexual mistreatment by adults in the last eight months in Manica, in central Mozambique, including in satanic rituals for illicit enrichment, the chief provincial prosecutor has said.
According to Jorge Tivane, speaking in a working meeting on the topic in the province, 190 criminal cases were opened for sexual acts with minors from January to August, with 44 people having already been indicted.
Another 59 cases were opened for sexual crimes involving victims under the age of 12. Of these, 48 cases already involve an indictment, Tivane told a coordination meeting between the Public Prosecutor’s Office and a stakeholder group including members of the legality commission, judges, prosecutors and civil society organisations battling violence against minors.
“We face the challenge of adequately treating cases, especially crimes against sexual freedom and premature unions,” Tivane said, highlighting that the increase in cases was worrying the authorities while at the same time posing challenges in the search for answers to the problems of children.
“We have to minimise the harmful impact of violating children’s rights,” Tivane stressed, emphasising the need for judges to be sensitive to cases of violence against minors.
According to Tivane, state and private child protection institutions “need to create conditions for the functioning of support services for child victims of crime, especially for crimes against sexual freedom and premature unions”.
The persistence of the myth that sex with virgins in satanic rituals can help the rapist get rich could be behind the increase in cases of the rape of children, including babies, local activists and human rights defenders have argued.
The reference group in Manica was created to combat human trafficking and illegal immigration, as well as guarantee the mitigation of premature unions and the protection of children’s rights. It is meeting in a three-day session, which ends today.
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