Panama Sexual Abuse Cases Climbing

SEXUAL  abuse is on the rise in Panama with 4,817 reported cases in the first nine months of 2017, an increase of 225  over the whole of 2016  and most of those affected are minors according to a Public Ministry (MP). report.

Although the percentage of victims of these crimes in 2017 is not available, MP data reveals that in 2015, of the 4, 812 registered cases, 88% involved minors.

Concern over the increase in cases led to the National Assembly initiating the discussion of Bill 584, which seeks to reform articles of the Criminal Code, to increase penalties for sexual abuse of minors and eliminate the option of community work as a sanction for these crimes,

Sex crimes prosecutor, Anilú Batista,  told La Prensa that in most cases of sexual abuse the victims are minors, and girls are most affected. She believes that a comprehensive reform of the existing laws is required, and not only of penalty increases.

Roderick Chaverri, of the Network for the Protection of the Rights of Children and Adolescents, pointed said  that the penalties for child abuse are “very low” and warned that the increase in sexual crimes is not just  225 cases, since ” many assaults  are not reported …” He added that neither is there a study to show how many of the early teen pregnancies are the product of relationships with adults.