Drugs and rape go hand in hand

ELMO GOONERATNE-2017-09-01

Not too long ago, a 17-year-old girl was raped by a drug addict who lived in close proximity to her home. At the time of the incident, her mother (an estate worker) had gone to work and she was alone at home. Investigations revealed that the drug addict had raped another girl in the past, and had been bailed out just a few hours prior to the incident. If the victim hasn't been killed, the offender serves only part of his sentence and is bailed out. There are rapists and drug addicts scattered all over the country.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe recently said Sri Lanka has become a transit point for drug traffickers and is used to re-export drugs to other Asian countries. There is no age barrier when it comes to drugs. Children as young as 12 have got hooked on drugs.

The Police have found that some schoolchildren have started taking drugs as well. In order to avoid detection, they pour the drug into branded soft drink bottles.

The Police arrest drug addicts almost on a daily basis. Drug addicts are produced before a Magistrate who orders them to pay a fine. If the drug addicts are unable to pay the fine, the Magistrate remands them. The problem is that drug addicts have access to drugs while in prison. The purpose of sending drug addicts to prison is to rehabilitate them. When this does not occur, drug addicts will never reform themselves.

Drug kingpins

Drug kingpins in Sri Lanka are filthy rich and live the high life. Even if they are taken into custody, they are given preferential treatment in prison. Most of the drug addicts are day labourers. They spend around 90 per cent of their earnings on drugs. Then there are rapists. If the victim isn't killed, the rapist gets away scot-free. There are all types of social service organizations in the country which specialize in rehabilitating drug addicts. The question is how many of us are aware of these organizations. Dedicated officials such as Dr. Harsha de Silva and Dr. Hiranthi Wijemanne are doing all they can to get rid of the drug menace and eliminate rape.

Today, drugs and rape go hand in hand. Recently, a four-year-old girl was raped by a well-known drug addict. Not too long ago, a beautiful 17-year-old girl was raped and murdered by a drug addict. Investigations revealed that the culprit was addicted to pornography and had sneaked into the house when she was alone. The girl used to pray in the morning and night. Residents in the area were shocked when they heard about the incident. Her mother demanded that the rapist should be hanged.

Theravada Buddhism

Sri Lanka is the home of Theravada Buddhism, but crimes occur almost everyday. Pornography is freely available in the country.

There is no age barrier when it comes to pornographic films in Sri Lanka. Both foreign and local actors star in pornographic films.

Some people watch pornographic films at home, while others watch them at internet cafes. Schoolboys and schoolgirls avoid attending tuition classes to watch pornographic films. Even though there is a ministry to look into these issues, nothing has been done so far. How many of these places have been raided? It is reported that some law enforcement officers have also been caught patronizing these places. The Ministry of Cultural Affairs used to be very active sometime ago.

Buddhist clergy

Most of the Buddhist clergy live in Asapuwas and preach on television. Some of them dabble in politics. They seem to have neglected their religious duties. They are supposed to guide laymen and help them to become better humans instead they are preoccupied with other matters. Some Bhikkhus have their own security detail too. Most of the Buddhist monks who come to Colombo from villages to study at universities don't return to their temples and live in the city. Bana Maduwas are a rare sight nowadays. People prefer to watch Buddhist programmes on television than attending a Bana Maduwa. How many people are aware of the fact that drugs and rape go hand in hand? Unless the media make them aware of these incidents they don't know.

There are several reasons why children get raped. The mother generally looks after the children when their father is away. When a girl goes to school, the mother accompanies her to ensure her safely. In villages, mothers stay at home, but when it comes to the city, both parents have to go to work if they are to keep the home fires burning. In most homes, boys are involved in extracurricular activities which require them to stay after school. Girls go home after school. Drug addicts observe the movements of the children and wait for an opportunity to fulfil their desires. Children are vulnerable when they are left alone. When a girl tries to resist, a drug addict would not hesitate even to kill her.

Rape victims

Rape victims suffer in silence. They undergo immense emotional trauma. For drug addicts, age does not matter. Girls as young as four years and woken as old as 70 have been raped by drug addicts. The scourge of pornography has destroyed the social fabric. Since there is no proper law that governs pornographic films, anyone can buy them easily. Most rapists are addicted to both drugs and pornography.

The tourism industry in Sri Lanka is booming and many boys and girls have got involved in it. According to the Sri Lanka Tourist Board, tourism is the fourth largest income earner for the country which makes a significant contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has come up with a national action plan. It will help the government to eradicate child sex tourism in the country. According to some reports, an estimated 30,000 children are involved in child sex tourism.

In certain parts of the country which are frequented by tourists, young girls and boys are sexually exploited by foreigners who are hooked on drugs.

Dark side of the tourism industry

The tourism industry might be the fourth largest income earner for Sri Lanka and it might contribute significantly to the GDP, but it has a dark side as well. Child sex tourism is a pressing issue that needs to be addressed. Many young girls go to Middle Eastern countries and Singapore seeking employment. Some of the girls look for employment so that they can build a house for their parents. How many of them are actually able to realize their dreams?

Some of the women who go through the Foreign Employment Bureau return home safely with a little money, but over the years the unscrupulous private agencies make huge profits. Many young Muslim girls fall prey to young and old men. Many are lured into traps.

Some of them are not allowed to return home. They are tortured and then released. Some of them vanish into thin air. Most of the monsters are hooked on drugs.

Some of the women are forced to seek employment in the Middle East by their fathers. There have been reports of fathers raping their own daughters. Some of the women are forced to leave home with their mothers because their fathers are either drug addicts or alcoholics.

Not too long ago, a judge sentenced a father to 145 years of imprisonment for raping both his daughters. There have been several instances where grandfathers have raped their grandchildren after a dose of drugs. The judiciary is doing everything possible to bring such fathers and grandfathers to book. The media only reports about these incidents when they think that it is 'sensational.'

Then these social service organizations go to town with statements on sex and drug abuse. Once the publicity dies down, the organizations that make statements to the media vanish and wait for another sensational case to pop up somewhere. The number of incidents where drug addicts abuse children has skyrocketed even though the authorities are attempting to rid the country of this scourge.