Faster justice for defilement victims will reduce damage

Defilement cases have recently been on the rise but what makes it even worse is that affected families keep quiet; either because they have been bribed by the perpetrators or fear them.

Most victims come from humble backgrounds and end up not reporting due to the long process of justice and costs involved. Courts should fast-track defilement cases to give hope to those affected and protect other vulnerable people from the perpetrators by putting them away for a long time.

Heavy penalties for those found guilty will serve as a lesson to any other person with such ideas. Some parents fall into traps of cash in exchange for silence. They should refuse to be bribed at the expense of justice for their defiled children who run the risk of being psychologically scarred for life.

Kenya Coast National Polytechnic