ONLINE
Over 50 girls missing after online chats
By The Nation
2011-01-18
A three-day-old baby was a victim of physical abuse last year - and some 56 young girls went missing after online chats with strangers, the most in 11 years. These were some of the disturbing details in an annual report released yesterday by the Paveena Hongsakul Foundation.
The foundation received 7,855 complaints, 635 involving rapes and molestation of women up to 60 years of age. Most of the violators in rape and molestation cases were close to their victims.
The number of victims forced into involuntary prostitution was 172 - also highest in 11 years.
Some 558 cases of physical abuse, including murders and acid attacks, were reported - with the youngest victim being three days old and the oldest 76.
The number of missing-person cases reported to the foundation was 269, also an 11-year high, with the youngest 14 months old and the oldest 68. Of the 269 missing, 56 involved online chats with strangers, with the youngest 13 and the oldest 29. The foundation welcomes feedback and complaints on either the 1134 hotline, mobile phone number (081) 814 0244 or via mail to Thanya Buri PO Box 222.
Two women lodged a complaint with the foundation accusing a teacher at a school in Sa Kaew province of raping their daughters over seven years, since they were in kindergarten.
The women, whose names were withheld to protect them and their daughters, said the unnamed teacher was merely transferred to another school in the same district after they filed a complaint with Khlong Nam Sai police last November.