The National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) said its intented to compile a list containing the names of offenders convicted of child sexual abuse.
Chairman of the NCPA Chanaka Udayakumara Amarasinghe said that these convicts are highly likely to reoffend once released from custody after serving their prison sentences, posing a continued risk to children.
Speaking at a media briefing held at the Health Promotion Bureau, Mr. Amarasinghe emphasized that the NCPA is currently in the process of preparing a list of convicted child molesters to facilitate the dissemination of their information to relevant parties.
Furthermore, the NCPA is exploring the possibility of introducing legal provisions to prevent or restrict ex-convicts from accessing locations frequented by children upon their release from prison.
Mr. Amarasinghe highlighted a troubling surge in the number of child sexual abuse cases in the country in 2023. Last year, Sri Lanka reported 1,639 cases of rape involving female children, compared to 1,618 cases in 2022. Additionally, incidents of reported sexual assaults rose from 1,232 in 2022 to 1,497 in the following year, according to the NCPA chairman.
