Restrictions on reporting of child abuse?

By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana

Colombo, April 8 (Daily Mirror) - In a bid to restrict reporting of child abuse, Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya hinted that the government is looking into the possibility of introducing some regulatory system in order to safeguard the victims from the suffering they have to undergo following media reports on their plight.

Prime Minister Amarasuriya who is also the Minister in charge of Education said regulatory framework pertaining to the reporting of child abuse is considered as media is engaged in reporting on child abuse by uncovering the details of the victims despite repeated requests.

“We have reminded the media not to reveal details of child abuse victims as they find themselves in a difficult situation when their details are disclosed. However, some media institutions have not heeded to our request. Accordingly, we have asked the Ministry of Mass Media to look into the possibility of introducing some kind of regulatory framework to this effect,” she said

The Prime Minister who responded to an oral question raised by MP Chamindrani Kiriella, revealed today that some 425 children have left school, while six have committed suicide due to abuse and violence in both government and private schools so far from 2025. She said that a total of 1,026 cases of abuse and violence have been reported, in both government and private schools, from 2015 to 2025. She said 425 school dropouts and six incidents of suicide have been reported during the same period.