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Porn house raid reveals some child sexual abuse
By Faraza Farook
Medical examinations of eight out of eleven children taken into custody in the raid at Negombo on January 7 has revealed that a few of the children had been subject to sexual abuse.

Two children were being subject to sexual abuse by an adult when the police broke into the house and took into custody seven suspects and 11 children all under 18 years of age. How many of the children had been previously subject to sexual abuse is not known.

The JMO conducting the medical examinations declined to specify the number of children who had been subject to abuse, but confirmed that a few of the eight children examined so far have been abused.

Meanwhile the Children and Women's Desk Head SP Cecil Perera said investigations into the incident to track down other suspects and to also determine if there are others behind the scene, has led to the arrest of three more on Thursday.

The surprise raid, which was one of the most successful sorties conducted by the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA), has reportedly driven other groups in the trade into hiding.

NCPA Chairman Prof. Harendra de Silva told The Sunday Times that some of the perpetrators who were under surveillance have already gone into hiding following the raid.

"It will take some time before they surface again," he said. Video statements of all the boys apprehended have been recorded so that these children will not be subjected again to psychological trauma during trials.

A computer taken into custody from the raided house has been sealed and sent to the University of Colombo on the magistrate's order for an independent report of any pornographic material that may be found in the system.

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