Police in Luwero district have warned entertainment places against admitting children to their events during the festive season citing rampant sexual abuses.
According to Luwero district report on teenage pregnancies from July-October 2023, at least 13 girls below the age of 15 years and 1419 girls between 15 -19 years got pregnant. The statistics indicate that on average at least 11 girls report to health centers for the first time per day age after getting pregnant.
Another report by Luwero District Probation Office indicates that about seven girls are defiled per week in the district.
Senior Superintendent of Police John Ojokuna the Luwero District Police Commander told URN that they have ordered all the Officers in Charge of Police Stations to monitor and apprehend any bar owner who will allow entry of children during the festive season.
Ojokuna said they have information that some children are exposed to adult content, alcohol, and drugs at places of entertainment before they are sexually abused.
Ojokuna added that in some events, owners can only allow children in the company of parents.
He however questioned why parents go to some events at night with toddlers who end up getting missing.
Luwero Resident District Commissioner, Richard Bwabye urged parents to be vigilant about their children during the festive season to protect them against sexual abuse.
Bwabye also appealed to religious leaders to use their pulpits during Christmas to condemn rampant sexual abuses targeting children.
The caretaker Bishop of Luwero Diocese Bishop James William Ssebaggala said that the sexual abuse cases are getting out of hand. He advised the parents to take care of their children during the festive season.
Ssebaggala added that he always feels sad to find children loitering in the town council late at night which may expose them to sexual abuse.
According to the Police crime report, a total of 166 cases of defilement were reported to Police in 2022 of which 68 cases were classified as aggravated and the district ranked in the second position with the highest cases
According to section 129(3) of the Penal Code act, the maximum sentence of aggravated defilement is death.
URN.