In recent years, stories about sexual violence against children have become a weekly feature of Kyrgyzstan’s news. The stories are pervasive and the number of victims is harrowing. But it’s increasingly clear that victims suffer twice – both during the violence and again when perpetrators escape prosecution.
Indeed, official data shows that in Kyrgyzstan, fewer and fewer child abusers are being sent to jail – and most avoid punishment altogether. While certain cases do attract heavy prison sentences, the country’s legal system allows many to get away with a metaphorical ‘slap on the wrist’ – if they are ever caught.
By way of explanation, experts point to two factors. First, Kyrgyzstan’s poorly operating law and justice system, and second, the pressure of the stigma of sexual abuse on parents, many of whom also allow those responsible to bribe them.
