Tongan government to collect better data on child poverty Featured
'Ofa-Ki-Levuka Guttenbeil Likiliki, Tonga's Women and Children Crisis Centre
19 May, 2016. Anecdotal evidence of increasing poverty in Nuku'alofa suggests more children are vulnerable to sexual assault, the director of Tonga's Women and Children Crisis Centre says.
A doctor is buying breakfast for about 150 school children twice-a-week in Kolomotu'a and more children are appearing on the streets of the capital selling peanuts.
The Centre's director, Ofa Ki-Levuka Guttenbeil-Likiliki, said sexual predators preyed on children in poverty.
"They are more vulnerable and become more susceptible to physical and sexual violence by people who know that this kid is from a poor background, the kid is struggling and if I offer this kid food or money then it will be easy for me to access sexual violation."
Ofa Ki-Levuka Guttenbeil-Likiliki said the Tongan government needs to collect better data on the plight of the nation's poor children.
RNZI
