Alarming Number Of Rape Cases In Cambodia Are Family-Related, Justice Derailed

Rape is a serious offense committed that would normally merit a heavy penalty. However, that would depend on what part of the world you are in. Sadly, conviction or the full weight of the law is not in effect in select cases in regions such as Cambodia.

It appears that one-third of rape cases over there involve suspects who are related per findings of a human rights group in a report by ABC News. And though these are cases that end up in court, most are deprived of proper justice being handed out.

The Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights (LICADHO) reveals that among the reasons why proper prosecution is not handed out is due to family pressure and financial reliance on their abusers. With that in mind, any complaints filed end up getting withdrawn by victims.

And it does not get any better from there. If the case ends up in a conviction, not all are immediately sent to jail. Just over half of the family rape cases investigated result in a prison sentence.

A good way to illustrate this is the case of a girl who was hidden under the name “Seiha.” She was raped by her grandfather. She was threatened by the elder and said that he would cut her throat if she told anyone of the rape.

Despite that, the parents of Seiha reported the case to authorities. It was processed quickly at first but the father of Seiha bared how the case somehow stopped at some point. It appears this is a case that is tied to corruption.

LICADHO said corruption, including informal payments or unaffordable bribes being required through the process, remained "one of the largest impediments to justice".

With the COVID-19 pandemic resulting in kids learning from home and adults working from their abode, rape cases are expected to grow higher. LICADHO has made recommendations to the Cambodian government to address the matter though it remains to be seen if the issue will be properly addressed.