BY JOHN HOUANIHAU

Actions are needed to prevent the high rate of sexual abuse in Solomon Islands and we need to find ways to help girls, women and boys who have experienced sexual abuse.

Dr Koen Sevenants, United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) MHPSS consultant and child psychologist, expressed this at the Advanced Training on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) for Children and Families in Honiara.

The training is being held at the ANZ Building, United Nations (UN) Joint Presence Office Conference Room at Ranadi in East Honiara.

Dr Sevenants pointed out that as we know, there is a high rate of sexual abuse in Solomon Islands and it is actually regarded as one of the highest in the world.

He said from global statistics, about 12% of all women who declared that they have been sexually abused at a certain moment in their lives.

Dr Sevenants went on to state that in Solomon Islands, the percentage is 43%.

Henceforth, he emphasised the need for actions to prevent this and ways to help girls and women and boys who have been through this type of experience.

“In the Solomon Islands, we have 43%. So, we need both actions to prevent that, and we need to find ways to help girls and women and boys as well, of course, who have been through this type of experience,” he said.

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