Right to Sexual and Reproductive Health Education 2016 The level of crime related to sexual activities may have slightly decreased over the years, but nevertheless, the numbers of such cases are tremendously high with 534 cases related to sexual offences being reported in 2015 alone.6 Table 1: Number of Sexual offence cases reported to MPS Year Sexual offences 20167 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 303 534 477 574 577 642 Source: Maldives Police Services, Crime Statistics: https://www.police.gov.mv Likewise, media reports also reflect the magnitude of the increase in violence relating to sexual offences, especially between 2011 and 2015. For example, On 9th May 2011, a 40 year old man was arrested for molesting a 6 year old girl in the island of Fuvahmulah,8 on 25th May 2011 there was another case where a 18 year old girl was gang raped,9 on 26th May 2011 a father was arrested for abusing his 16 year old daughter,10 and on 6th June 2011 a 40 year old woman was reported to have abused her 14 year old stepson11. Similarly, there has been a rise in infanticides, with three such cases reported in 2011 in Male’ within one month.12 The recent years has seen more such cases. There were reports of a young man who sexually abused an elderly woman,13 a young woman was sexually assaulted in the toilet of a bustling ferry terminal,14 a health officer was 6 Maldives Police Services Crime Statistics (2015). Retrieved from https://www.police.gov.mv/#eservice This data is till the month of August 2016. 8 Niyaza, A. (2011, May 9). Fuvahmulakugai 6 aharuge kujaku bandhe, behunukamuge thuhumathugai meehaku hahyarukohfi. SunOnline. Retrieved from http://www.sun.mv/7345 9 Lubna, H. (2011, May 25). Maibaadhoogai anhen kuhjaku rape kuri mahsala aai gulhigen ithuru dhemeehaku hahyarukohfi. SunOnline. Retrieved from http://www.sun.mv/7758 10 Zaky, I. (2011, May 26). 16 aharuge anhen dharifulhah jinsee goana kurikamuge thuhumathugai bappa bappa hahyaru kohfi. SunOnline. Retrieved from http://www.sun.mv/7772 11 Aiminath Niyaza, A. (2011, June 6). Gahdhoo anhenaku eynage 14 aharuge dhon dhariaka eku jinsee gulhun hingikamuge thuhumathugai hahyarukohfi. SunOnline. Retrieved from http://www.sun.mv/8012 12 Hawwa Lubna, H. (2011, May 22). Vihaafaa Maraafaa Kothalhah. SunOnline. Retrieved from http://www.sun.mv/7684 13 Shakir, I. (2012, November 16). Umurun dhuvasvee anhenakah aniyakurumahfahu filaigen ulhey zuvaanaku hoadhanee. SunOnline, Retrieved from http://sun.mv/24206 14 SunOnline, (2013, February 5). Hulhumale’ ferry terminal thereygai anhekuhjakah jinsee goanakohfi. Retrieved from http://sun.mv/26885 7 4 INTRODUCTION