By Piyumi Fonseka and Bingun Menaka Gamage   

For 26 years since the Penal Code (Amendment) Act (No. 22 of 1995), the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) has not prosecuted any individual for disclosing personal information of child abuse victims, a higher official attached to the NCPA disclosed to the Daily Mirror yesterday.   

Penal Code Amendment Act No 22 of 1995 stipulates that whoever prints or publishes, the name, or any matter which may makes known the identity, of any victim of child abuse offences, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years or with fine or with both.   

It is observed that whenever there is a child abuse incident that gets reported in Sri Lanka media, many media outlets not only sensationalize the incidents, but also blatantly violate the above-mentioned law by publishing images, full names of the victims, and information that makes known the identity of 
the victims.   

The NCPA official who spoke to the Daily Mirror under the condition of anonymity revealed that the above section of the Penal Code has never been applied or implemented. While the unpleasant experiences such as abuse incidents leave marks in children’s minds which may never be healed, the experts believe that media exposure cause secondary victimization, stigmatization, and psychological distress for survivors and their families. When the Daily Mirror inquired the NCPA official, he said the NCPA had not sought legal action specifically against journalists because the NCPA didn’t want to taint the connection between media and the authority.   

Sharing her views on this, Attorney-at-law Ermiza Tegal said this finding was a perfect example about how laws and regulations are limited to books, and not put into practice. Read the full story on Page 6.