9-year-old girl raped by her brother-in-law in Kyaikmayaw Township

June 21, 2017

On June 11^th 2017, a nine-year-old girl from Pha None village, Kyaikmayaw Township, Mon State, was raped by her brother-in-law.

Ma S— had been living with her elder sister, Ma M—, along with her brother-in-law, Mg K—, and her brother Mg T—. They had recently moved to Pha None from Ye Pyan village, West Zee Gon Township, Bago Region, to work on a nearby farm.

Around 5:00 pm on June 11^th, Ma S— went with her brother and brother-in-law to the farm they worked on as there was a heavy insect infestation and they needed to rescue as many plants as possible before they were destroyed. Mg K— and Ma S— collected the eggplants while Mg T— transported the rescued plants to their home.

After two trips by Mg T—, Mg K— returned home with Ma S— on his motorbike around 7:00 pm. As soon as they arrived home, Mg T— noticed bleeding from around Ma S—’s vagina and reported it to his elder sister, Ma M—.

Ma M— asked Ma S— what happened to her and the young girl replied that she had been bitten by a leech. However, upon inspection Ma M— found no indication of a leech. As the bleeding did not stop, they went to the village clinic. The Pha None village clinic were unable to stop the bleeding so Ma M— called her husband Mg K— and her neighbor Daw T— and they brought the child to the Mudon Hospital.

The doctor at the Mudon Hospital was suspicious about the cause of the bleeding and gently asked Ma S— what happened to her in privacy. Ma S— revealed that she was raped by her brother-in-law Mg K—. Upon learning the truth, the doctor phoned the Mudon Police and Mg K— was arrested at the hospital.

After arresting him, Mudon Police transferred Mg K— to the Khaung Hna Kwa Police Station in Kyaikmayaw Township near where the assault took place. Ma M— has filed a lawsuit against her own husband and the Khaung Hna Kwa Police Station have charged Mg K— under with Penal Code #376 (punishment for rape) and Penal Code #363 (punishment for kidnapping).

Ma S— has been transferred to the Mawlamyine Women and Children Hospital, where Dr. Zar Chi Oo, confirmed she was raped. Ma S— later revealed that her brother-in-law raped her in a hut and threatened that he would kill her if she told the truth.

On June 12^th the Khaung Hna Kwa Police Station transferred the case to the Kyaikmayaw City Police Station.

Ma S— is currently receiving treatment from the Mawlamyine Women and Children Hospital and the perpetrator is being detained at the Kyaikmayaw Police Station.

Sexual violence toward children in Burma is an increasingly visible and controversial. For a more in-depth discussion of the issue, see HURFOM’s March 2017 report, ‘Cracks in the Silence: Sexual violence against children and challenges to accessing justice in Mon State and Mon areas of southeast Burma.’

Written by HURFOM · Filed Under News