Abstract

It is often stated that children are the soul and the future of a nation. Protection of children is one of the main responsibilities of adults today. Children in Sri Lanka are vulnerable to sexual violence than other forms of violence. Sexual violence against children has become a social issue in the country. Children are prey for sexual violence due to their tender age, immaturity and dependency. They are subjected to sexual violence both in and outside of their home. In many instances, the perpetrators are known to the child victim. According to the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) records, the total number of sexual violence cases against children has increased in the recent past. There is no doubt that children should have a right to protection from sexual violence. This protection can be ensured initially through prevention by adjusting socio-economy set up and where sexual violence has already committed, putting an end to impunity as well as providing assistance to the victimized child. A strong legal framework is utmost important in this regard. The purpose of the paper is to critically evaluate the efficacy of the existing laws and enforce mechanisms in Sri Lanka against child sexual violence. The qualitative research method is adopted, engaging in a desk review referring to the legislations in this regard.

Keywords: Child; Sexual violence; Protection