7
Staff of the Social Welfare Department day and residential
centres for the mentally handicapped, and the staff of the
centres run by voluntary agencies are briefed regularly on
the risks of sexual abuse and how they can be minimised.
Many of the staff have also attended Family Planning
Association courses
on sex education for the mentally
handicapped. They spend a great deal of effort in
teaching the people in their care how to recognise and how
to avoid sexual abuse.
Department
In addition, a training unit within the Social Welfare
organises regular seminars and workshops for
all the staff in that department and staff of subvented
agencies who are involved with
with the mentally handicapped
through their work.
In addition, the Social Welfare Department case workers
and group workers also organise a variety of meetings and
social functions for the mentally handicapped and this is
done under supervision.
DR. HO:
: Sir, among the 62 cases mentioned in paragraph 1
of the answer, how many of the victims were sexually
assaulted by staff members of an institution where the
mentally handicapped received services; and were these
assailants given heavier punishment because they had taken
advantage of their special relationships with the victims?