NGOs aid 14 year-old rape victim in Mae Sot

October 30, 2009

WCRP, Mae Sot: Phyi Thu Saythana and World Vision, two Mae Sot-based NGOs, are providing for the legal services, shelter, and education of a 14-year-old Mon child raped by her stepfather 2 months ago.

According to the victim’s family, the crime occurred on August 20th at the victim’s home on a corn plantation near Gawe Pon village, in Mae Ramat district, in the northwestern part of Tak province, northern Thailand. The victim and her family are migrant farmers originally from Thanat Pin Town, Pegu division.

According to Nai Aung Chit, the Phyi Thu Saythana NGO member who served as the victim’s legal advocate for this case, “On the 22nd of August at 12:00 pm, the victim’s relatives contacted our organization. They told us about the crime, and asked us to arrest the man who raped the victim, her stepfather. After learning about this crime, our organization immediately located this man, took him into custody, and turned him over to the Gawe Pon police.”

Nai Aung Chit told WCRP that the crime reportedly happened while the victim’s mother was hospitalized for a week in August, after a stomach operation; the victim was left in her stepfather’s care. The victim informed her mother and extended family of the rape upon her mother’s return. According to the report given by the victim to Phyi Thu Saythana, the revelation sparked a vicious physical confrontation between the victim’s mother and stepfather.

The victim and her mother arrived at the Phyi Thu Saythana safe house on August 24th; on September 1st, Phyi Thu Saythana and World Vision met to discuss the case, and sent the victim to get a medical examination the same day. A nurse who examined the victim at Mae Sot Hospital told NGO that the hospital collected evidence of rape, and documented it in preparation for legal proceedings.

Nai Ko Aung Chit informed WCRP that the victim’s stepfather had to be arrested twice, after initially being taken into custody on August 22nd. After escaping police custody in Gawe Pon village, he was detained again on September 2nd on the corn plantation where he was employed, and sent to Mae Ramat district Court, which handled the case.

Phyi Thu Saythana confirmed for WCRP that on September 10th, the Mae Ramat district Court sentenced the victim’s stepfather to 7 years in prison for rape. His sentence was reduced after the victim’s mother, in an attempt to lessen her husband’s jail-time, took partial responsibility for her daughter’s rape in court. The victim’s mother received a sentence of 4 years in prison.

Nai Aung Chit told WCRP that Phyi Thu Saythana’s mission is to, “help anyone who is facing a terrible situation, we aid them however we can, without favoring Mon, Karen, or any other ethnic group.”

Dao, a World Version member, announced to the victim’s relatives after the trial that her NGO plans to personally oversee the victim’s future development and education. She said, “We will care for her, save for her future’ and continue her education. We want to get papers to adopt her from her mother.”

The victim is now living in World Vision-run housing, where her education has been provided for.

Written by HURFOM · Filed Under News