Maldives police arrest man for alleged abuse of daughter

Police in the Maldives have arrested a 41-year-old man for the alleged sexual assault and physical and mental abuse of his 13-year-old daughter on a southern island. The incident was reported on August 31.

In a separate case within the South Central Police Division, a 28-year-old Indian national was arrested on August 28 for the alleged sexual assault of a three-year-old girl. The child’s father was also arrested in connection with that case and has been remanded for 30 days.

Maldives police reported 174 sexual offense cases so far this year. According to UNICEF research, one in three girls in the Maldives experiences sexual abuse at least once in their lives, and 15 percent of children in the country are victims of such abuse.