Prisoners' spouses, children being gravely abused

COLOMBO: Spouses and children of prisoners who have been sentenced to long jail terms are subject to severe hardships and abuses a survey has revealed. The island wide survey is being carried out by the National Institute of Social Development under the guidance of Ministry of Social Services and Social Welfare.

The Ministry expressed its concern about the exigencies arising from this situation and emphasised the urgent need to address this social issue.

These families and children have been totally neglected by the rest of the society and action is needed to bring them into an orderly life situation, a release issued by the Ministry said. The survey found that most of the school going children were forced to stay back to take care of their siblings compelled them to become school drop outs.

There are evidence of child abuses as teenagers are left alone in unsafe hamlets.

Some spouses, dependents and victims have run away to escape threats and harassments of family members.

In some cases their shelters are burnt or destroyed.

This is a common social problem prevailing in Asia and in other developing countries. At a regional conference held in Hydrabad, India, recently the subject of Strength Based Strategies for Development was discussed and the need to prompt prisoners out care programmes was also emphasised.

The Brisbane Institute of Social Work in Australia and some Indian Universities have agreed to provide assistance to expand social work education in the country to address issues of this nature in a professional manner.

Social Services and Social Welfare Ministry Secretary V. Jegarasasingham, processing action to draw the authority's attention for a conducive policy framework to mitigate consequences of this issue and develop an out care programme.