The overall data on how many child sex abuse cases are registered here is kept by the police, who declined to disclose the numbers given the 'sensitive nature of the information'. -- PHOTO: INTERNET
IN THE dead of night, ever so often, 13-year-old Michelle's step-father would come into her room to squeeze her breasts.
He even tried to rape her, saying it was payment for the 'care' she received in his home.
The girl was also caned and slapped repeatedly by her step-father for no reason, till bruises on her arms prompted her maternal grandparents to take her to see a doctor.
Gentle prompting by the doctor revealed not just the extent of her physical battery but also the appalling secret she harboured for eight long months - that she was a victim of sexual abuse.
Michelle, whose name has been changed to protect her identity, now lives with her aunt and, thanks to therapy and caring grandparents and teachers, is on the road to recovery.
The shroud of shame that surrounds child sex abuse - particularly where a child is abused at home or by family members - is slowly being lifted.
About 50 such cases were reported to the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) last year where the Ministry found evidence of abuse, up from 15 in 2000.
The figures from MCYS, made available to The Sunday Times, also show that the proportion of sexual abuse cases has risen sharply, accounting for nearly 45 per cent of all abuse cases detected last year, up from 25 per cent in 2000.
These figures, however, pertain only to cases where the child is abused by a family member at home, faces the risk of prolonged abuse, and may even need to be removed from home.
The overall data on how many child sex abuse cases are registered here is kept by the police, who declined to disclose the numbers given the 'sensitive nature of the information'.
