Miadhu Online has published an article (in Dhivehi) blaming the foreign labor community for psychologically and physically traumatizing the Maldivian children. It sights the example of a 16 year old girl who was sexually molested by a foreign worker in Baa Atoll Dhonfanu mid May. The Maldives Police Service is also reported to have said that sexual abuse of children by foreigners have escalated in the recent months. They also have said that there are six cases of sexual abuse of children by foreign workers under investigation. The Police are also repoted to have cautioned parents to take steps to protect their children from such abuse.
The article comes in a media frenzy over high profiles sexual abuse of children in the country, from all walks of life; ranging for incest to orgies and sex cults. Some accused have been named and other NOT. The government has failed in its tracks to take decisive and timely action, including the case of a fifteen year old girl who was sexually molested after taking off her clothes, and the video circulated around via mobile phones all around the country.
There has been recent reports of the sexual abuse of a 13 year old niece, group sex by a 55 year old who was caught in the act at Friday Prayer time, and many more including group sex invovling children. The country seems to be crawling with paedophiles. There is therefore not much that can be done about it, except to blame foreigners (as usual) as we have so conveniently been taught.
The girl who was sexually molested on Villingili Beach and made the entertainment of the nation for quite sometime, still awaits for justice to be served; ten months from the incident. The nation rejoices and jubilates with football mania including Euro, while its children are neglected, forgotten and given to abuse. Ofcourse, children can wait! BULL
It is so Maldivian to blame foreigners for all our ills!
Smile and Let Smile 
Shihab
June 11, 2008 at 7:00 pm
I like to laugh at myself… It helps… But then, I also like to think about why I had to laugh at myself; and take action on that… I feel that this issue is one, in which each of us need to do the little that we can. It is important.
Muna
June 11, 2008 at 3:46 pm
its the party system that has to be blamed. ever since the parties are formed, child abuse cases are on the rise
Anonymous
June 11, 2008 at 12:33 pm
I think it’s Israel that should be held responsible for child abuse in Maldives.
Hashim
June 11, 2008 at 10:44 am
Statistics shows that most of such acts happen within the family rather than from foreign labour.
paperclippenny
June 11, 2008 at 9:30 am
i had a feeling this was bound to happen when these cases started to crop up. We Maldivians just can’t wait to point our fingers in the general direction of foreign labourers
jaa
June 11, 2008 at 5:02 am
It is extremely extremely disingenuous for Miadhu to make generalizations and blame the expat community in general on count of the relatively few child abuse cases that have sprung up involving foreign nationals. There is supposed to be atleast 33,000 expats working in Male’ alone and they suffer through our xenophobic intolerant culture everyday. Miadhu would be better of covering the endless cases of Maldivians abusing children.Like you said Shihab, it’s such a Maldivian thing to do! Shame on Miadhu.
romeo
June 11, 2008 at 1:58 am
good article